Circles
by MandyRAP13
Summary: This is a Dasey fanfic. It shows the dynamics and intensity of the relationship with a few laughs in between. Rated M for a few graphic scenes. Hope you enjoy this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)
1. Chapter 1

A Dasey Fic - Circles

CHAPTER 1

_'OH MAN, I'M GOING TO BE SO LATE!' _

It was already 9:25 A.M. and Casey McDonald was severely behind on her morning routine. If she did not find her cell phone in the next five minutes her entire day would be thrown completely out of whack. As a matter of fact, her day was already ruined since her professionally designed apartment was in complete chaos. The cushions of her sleek pale blue sofa were strewn across the living room floor and the books from her desk were violently pulled out their organized slots in the search of her most prized possession. Her phone was her life and the key to managing her double major in English and economics while interning at the local paper. Casey had a strict schedule that needed to be followed to a tee or everything in her world would fall apart, which was her worst nightmare. And now she was going to be late for her first class of the day, all because of her stupid cell phone.

Casey reassembled one of the cushions, let out a massive sigh and threw herself onto the couch in defeat. Casey closed her eyes for a moment to really concentrate on where she could have possibly left her phone, but all she could remember was putting it on the charger the night before like she did every day. Just as Casey picked herself up to head to class, she heard the sound of her front door opening and then slamming shut.

"Casey! Are you home?"

'_I should have known. Whenever things in my life start heading downhill, there's only one person to blame,' _Casey thought to herself.

Then she shouted, "Der-ek!"

"Wow, I haven't heard you say my-" Derek stopped mid-stroll as he neared Casey's living room. His eyes rolled over the entire room from her gutted sofa to her desk of disarray and then they finally settled on his fuming stepsister in her typical Casey-stance, arms crossed in front of her chest and eyes glaring.

Derek smirked devilishly at Casey.

"I guess you were looking for this," Derek said as he pulled a pink-bejeweled cell phone from his pocket. Casey grunted, stormed over to him and grabbed the phone from his hands.

Casey shrieked and said, "I should have known it was you! Who else can turn my life upside down so easily? Why are you such a jerk?" She stared at him as if expecting an answer.

Derek put his hands up and said, "In my defense, I actually did not mean to ruin your day, even if it is hilarious, but I did need to borrow your phone last night. I think I left mine at Ashley's or was it Candice? Anyways, I can't remember. Sorry."

The look on Casey's face was one of utter disgust, she couldn't understand Derek's level of indifference to the fact that his phone was left at some tramp's house or that he caused the upheaval of her entire day. As Casey reflected on truly horrified she was by Derek's behavior, Derek rummaged through her fridge for something edible. Unfortunately all he could find were soy burgers, granola and a large supply of fruit, none of which interested him in the least.

"Casey, do you have any real food?" Derek asked with a grunt.

"Derek, why don't you go back to your own apartment? My apartment is not a supermarket. And by the way, remind me to thank my mother for giving you a key to my apartment," Casey said as she rolled her eyes.

Derek chuckled and said, "Hey, it's not my fault. Nora just wanted me to check up on you from time to time. I mean you're just a girl, living here all alone."

"Ha ha, Derek. I can take of myself." Casey glared at Derek.

Derek looked over at the crystal clock hanging in Casey's living room.

"Casey, aren't you supposed to be in class, like fifteen minutes ago?"

Casey whirled around to look at the clock, gathered her books, turned to Derek and said, "I'm leaving and I suggest you do the same. We're not kids anymore Derek and I'm tired of playing these games. Could you just stay out of my life?"

Casey stormed out of her apartment and left Derek to think about her words.

Derek sighed and let a dangerous thought enter his mind, '_Maybe Casey is right.'_

Derek couldn't quite understand why Casey's words made him so angry, but he did know one thing: he was finally going to take Casey's advice.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N : I would just like to say thank you to CHRISTINE for the kind review and to every one of the readers. I really hope you enjoy this story and I will try to put up new chapters asap. :)

CHAPTER 2

Casey's heart sank when she returned home to her disheveled apartment. She sighed and thought to herself, _'Why does Derek have to be an inconsiderate jerk?'_

She reflected on the argument they had that morning as she cleaned the apartment. She knew that Derek wasn't as horrible as she made him out to be and these past few years that they spent together at university were not so bad, give or take the occasional prank. Casey slowly realized that she may have been too harsh with Derek, but she didn't worry too much because he would probably come around in a few days to annoy her and all would be right in the world.

After tidying up the living room, Casey made herself some chamomile tea as preparation for her daily power study and she was just about to take her first sip when she heard her cell phone ring.

Casey smiled when she saw the caller and said, "Hi, Sam."

"Hey, Casey. I was just wondering, have you heard from Derek lately?"

"No, not recently. We kind of got into a fight this morning, what else is new? He's probably putting in some face time with one of his _friends _if you know what I mean," Casey said suggestively.

"Hmmm... You're probably right, Case. I'll let you get back to your daily power study" Sam said with a laugh and he could hear Casey gasp.

He chuckled again and said, "Derek told me about those."

"Ha ha, Sam." Casey rolled her eyes and grunted a mental _'Der-ek!'_ and then said, "Remind me to thank Derek for enlightening you. Good night, Sam."

Sam smiled and said, "Good night, Casey."

- ONE WEEK LATER-

Casey decided to skip her daily power study today and headed to a bar named 'Aura'. Derek liked to go to Aura with his buddies from the university hockey team and would call Casey to pick him up when he was too smashed to drive, much to her dismay. This time, however, Casey was there to look for Derek since she had not seen or heard from him in a week which was not like him at all.

When Casey arrived at Aura, she maneuvered her way through the modernistic-themed bar crowded with students from the university and she even spotted a few of her classmates. But Casey did not greet them, she was on a mission and did not have time to socialize. She scanned the bar and a few booths that Derek and his friends typically inhabited, but there was no sign of him anywhere. Suddenly Casey felt a hand on her elbow and she spun around causing her hair to fly in her face. She looked down to part the hair from her face and started to say, "Der-", but when she looked up she saw Max Miller smiling down at her.

"Max!" Casey said breathlessly due to her current state of shock. "What are you doing here?"

Max motioned to a nearby booth crowded with people, "I'm here with a few friends. I go to a university not too far from here. What about you? I really didn't think this was your scene or have you changed that much?"

Casey smiled and replied, "You're right, this isn't my scene. I am just looking for someone."

Max's smile faltered slightly, "Who? Your boyfriend?"

Casey scoffed, "I wish. No, I'm just looking for Derek. We got into a fight and I haven't heard from him in a while. Have you seen him?"

Max looked around and said, "No, I have been here since seven and I haven't seen him at all. I wouldn't be too worried though, you and Derek always fight. Why don't you come over and have a drink with me and my friends?"

Casey looked at Max and all of her old, unresolved feelings for him came rushing back. She slowly nodded and said, "Sure. Why not?"

Max put his arm around Casey and led her to the booth. Casey smiled and waved hello to everyone. After an hour of small talk and two non-alcoholic drinks, Casey gestured to Max that it was time for her to go. Max walked her to her car and said with his signature smile, "I had a great time tonight, Case. Maybe you could give me your number and we can hang out again sometime."

Casey blushed, "Sure. Anytime."

Max kissed her on the cheek and headed off to rejoin his friends in the bar while Casey floated home on a cloud. Casey had not felt this way in a long time due to her commitment to her rigorous academic studies for the past two years at university. She would never have imagined that a blast from her high school past would be her first college romance.

She glided into her apartment, grabbed her phone and lay down on her sofa. She was bursting with excitement and she had to call Emily.

"Hello," Emily answered.

"Hi, Em. You would never believe what happened tonight?" Casey squealed.

Emily's curiosity peaked, "Come on, Casey. Spill!"

"I ran into Max tonight! I went to this bar called-"

Emily cut Casey off and shouted, "You went to a bar!"

"Yes, Em. Only to look for Derek, but I found Max and all of my old feelings for him resurfaced. This is the second chance I have been waiting for."

"Why were you looking for Derek?" Emily asked thoughtfully.

"He and I got into a fight about a week ago and I haven't heard from him. I was just a little worried," Casey said reluctantly.

Emily clearly surprised said, "Wow, I'd never thought I would live to see the day that Casey McDonald wants Derek Venturi back in her life."

"Jeez, Em. You make me sound like I completely hate him, which I don't. He's just so annoying sometimes. But, it doesn't mean that I like him either, I just want to make sure he isn't dead or anything," Casey said sounding a little frustrated.

"Whatever you say, Case. I better go, I have an early class tomorrow. Good night," Emily said before hanging up.

Casey put her cell phone in its usual charging place and headed to bed, thinking about Emily's comment about her wanting Derek back in her life and what that would actually mean.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you once again to all of you wonderful readers and reviewers! I truly appreciate it. I know this chapter took longer than usual to come out, but I have been busy this week and did not have much time to write. Happy reading everyone!

This chapter has been updated again to fix all of the little bugs I found in it. Hope its better now!

CHAPTER 3

It was now two weeks since Casey's fight with Derek and for some reason it was really starting to make her panic. She just couldn't get their fight out of her head, but there was the issue that she couldn't shake, why was she so worried. She always wanted Derek out of her life and now she finally had her wish. Casey knew that the only way to take her mind off of her problem was to keep distracted. She threw herself even more into her work and her other relationships, especially Max.

Casey truly believed that she had done the right thing by giving Max another chance and although he was not the ideal boyfriend in the past, it felt as though he was a completely different person from the boy she once knew. They actually had plans to have dinner tonight, but Casey knew that she would not be able to enjoy her time out with Max unless she spoke to Sam to check if there were any updates about Derek. Just as Casey took out her cell phone, she heard a knock at the door. She sped over to it, looked through the peephole and pulled it open.

"Hey! I was just about to give you a call," Casey said as she gave Sam a quick hug.

"I know, Casey. You call every day at five like clockwork," Sam said with a smile playing on his lips.

Casey looked up at him with hopeful eyes, "So have you heard anything?"

Sam replied, "No, I haven't." Sam saw the disappointed look in Casey's eyes and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Case. He'll turn up soon. Have you tried calling him or checking his apartment?"

"I did try his cell a few times, but I only got his voicemail. I think he left his phone at some girl's house and I don't want to go to his apartment because I'll look like an idiot. I _was_ the one to tell him to stay out of my life, so how stupid would I look if I go check on him when he actually stays away?" Casey took a deep breath since she was practically breathless from talking so fast, which she usually did when she freaked out.

Sam furrowed his brows which formed his classic confused face and asked, "So why are you _so _ interested in Derek's whereabouts, Case?"

Casey was now the one with the confused look on her face, "I don't know, Sam. I guess I just want to know if he's okay. I mean, I understand that he hasn't contacted me, but what about you? You are his best friend."

Sam took a minute to consider Casey's words, then he let out a breath and said reassuringly, "I'm sure that Derek is fine and back to annoy you in no time and you will be wondering why you were so worried about him the first place. Anyways, what are you doing tonight? If you want we can grab something to eat or go see a movie," he offered gently, trying to cheer her up.

Casey shrugged, looked up at Sam and said, "I would love to, but I have plans with Max tonight."

Sam took his arm off of Casey's shoulder and said, "Oh. Right. Max. So you guys are getting pretty serious, huh?"

Casey folded her arms in front of her chest, shrugged and replied, "I think so. He's really a great guy, you would never believe he was the same guy who had to be told how to be a perfect gentleman."

Sam scoffed and asked, "Hey, have you heard from Emily?"

Casey eyed Sam suspiciously due to his swift change of subject, but brushed it off and said, "Yes, I spoke to her last week. She's really busy with school."

Sam looked at Casey and said, "Wow, it's amazing how far we've all come. We are all in college and you and Em are still close friends. And to think, that you would not even be friends if it weren't for Derek."

Casey smiled all through Sam's words until the very end when she looked up in surprise and asked, "What do you mean? Em and I met because we had to share lockers. We've basically been friends from day one, Derek had nothing to do with it."

Casey had begun walking toward him and Sam put his hands up while backing away from her and said hurriedly, "You know what, just forget that I said anything. Don't you have a date to get ready for?" Sam, then sped towards to door to make a run for it, but Casey stopped him in his tracks.

She grabbed his hand, looked at him with pleading eyes and said, "Sam, please just tell me the truth."

Sam let out a sigh of defeat and said, "Fine. I'll tell you, but you have to promise that not a word of this gets mentioned to Derek _or_ Emily." Casey nodded her promise.

Sam continued, "When you were going through your Klutzilla phase, Derek saw Emily trying to bail on you one day. He basically convinced her to stick by your side. And from what I can tell, she's been there for you ever since."

Sam looked up at Casey to see her reaction and he saw that her eyes were welled up with tears. She couldn't believe that the girl she called her best friend tried to bail on her and the boy she called her worst enemy was actually her ally from the beginning. Casey's head was spinning and she felt like she needed to lay down. Before she could realize what was happening she felt Sam's arms tighten around her.

Casey whispered into Sam's ear, "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess. Thank you for being such a good friend, Sam."

Sam let her go and said, "It's okay, Case. But, I really should go. You do have a date to get ready for. I'll see you later."

Casey smiled up at Sam and said, "Sure thing, Sam. Bye." She watched him leave and she headed straight for her bed where she cried her eyes out for fifteen minutes before actually getting ready for her date.

That night on her date Max was once again a perfect gentleman, he had the perfect smile, the perfect manners, the restaurant with its fairy tale-esque theme and twinkling lights were perfect, but Casey's mood was not perfect and it did not go unnoticed by Max.

"Casey. Casey. Casey!" Max raised his voice slightly and nudged Casey to get her attention. Casey seemed far away and had barely paid any attention to him all night.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What did you say, Max?" Casey turned her attention away from her thoughts and tried to focus on Max. She felt absolutely horrible for the way she was treating him and she could tell that he put a ton of effort into making the night special. But, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had been wrong about Derek from the very beginning. She practically owed her entire friendship with Emily to him and to top it all off, she told him to stay out of her life. This time her life was in emotional chaos, but it was not the fault of the person she blamed the most, Derek, this time she had no one to blame but herself.

Max reached out and rested his hand over Casey's, "Are you okay, Case? I can tell that there is something on your mind. You know you can talk to me about anything."

In her mind Casey thought, _'Not this!', _but she knew that his concern was genuine so she smiled sweetly at Max and said, "I know. Thank you, Max but I think I'm going to have to figure this one out on my own."

Max sighed and squeezed her hand, then her looked her in the eyes and said, "Do you want me to take you home?"

"No, not after you went through all this trouble to make the night perfect, which it is by the way. I'm sorry I let my worry intrude on our evening," Casey said as she laced her fingers with Max's.

Max picked up their entwined hands and placed a kiss on Casey's hand which caused her to grin widely. She then moved in closer to him and whispered, "I promise to focus solely on you for the rest of the evening. You have my undivided attention."

She then drew him closer by placing a finger under his chin with her free hand and kissed him lightly on his lips. From that point, the rest of the evening sailed through without a hitch and by the end of the night the couple felt closer than ever.

However when Casey arrived back to her empty apartment, everything she was worried about earlier crashed into her mind. She wished that she could talk to Emily about what she was feeling, but there was no way she could do that without betraying Sam's trust and Sam was the closest connection she had to Derek since he went AWOL. Casey knew that the only thing that she could do was to relax and figure out a plan of how she could fix all of the wrong parts of her life without showing Derek how much she really cared. Casey thought to herself, _'Hey maybe if everything works out, Derek and I can even be friends.' _That night, Casey went to bed with a smile.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Beware, its beautifully intense! Happy reading everyone! Please write a review letting me know what you think or with any other feedback.

CHAPTER 4

In the next few days, Casey tried her best to put Derek out of her mind since it was nearing the end of the semester and she really needed to focus on her schoolwork. Just as Casey was about to begin a power study, she realized that she didn't think to call home and check if Derek had been hiding out there the whole time. Casey grabbed her cell phone and called Edwin.

"Hey, Casey! What's shakin'?" Edwin answered with a chuckle.

Casey smiled and said, "Hey, Edwin! How are you?"

Edwin replied, "I'm fine, Case. Liz and I are getting ready to hit an awesome party."

"Wow, it sounds like you two have gotten pretty popular at Thompson High," Casey suggested.

"Yeah, I guess we are. Oh and Casey, you'd never guess who paid us a visit last week."

Casey's eyebrows rose and she asked hopefully, "Who?"

Edwin shouted excitedly into the phone, "YOUR DAD!"

All of Casey's hope went tumbling down and she let out a disappointed, "Oh."

Edwin caught on to Casey's attitude and said, "What's wrong, Casey? Is everything okay?"

Casey instantly perked up, the last thing she wanted was for her family to know about all of their troubles, so she said, "Yes, Edwin everything is great. I am buried in work over here since its almost the end of the semester and I guess I just realized how much I miss everyone."

Edwin glad that nothing was wrong said, "Aw we miss you too and don't worry, Casey. If there's anyone I know that can handle heavy workloads, it's you. But Derek on the other hand, I'm not so sure of. By the way, how has he been?"

Casey sighed and said, "I'm not too sure myself, Edwin. He's been keeping his distance."

Edwin shook his head and said, "Well, I'm not surprised. No one expected that you and Derek would head off to college and become best friends."

Casey laughed and said, "You're right, Ed. Anyways, I have to get back to studying. Tell Lizzie to give me a call when she has a chance."

"Sure thing, Casey. Talk to you later," Edwin said before he hung up the phone. He then walked down the stairs from his attic bedroom and barged right into Lizzie's bedroom.

"Hey, Liz," he said.

Lizzie spun around and shouted, "Edwin! Why don't you ever knock? I could have been changing."

Edwin brushed off Lizzie's comments and said with a serious gaze, "Liz, I think something is wrong with Derek and Casey."

Lizzie speechlessly stared back at Edwin and after a few moments said, "What can we do?"

Back at Casey's apartment, Casey was in the middle of trying to understand a production possibility curve for her economics class when all of a sudden, it hit her. The only way she could really reconcile things and get her life back in order would be to apologize to Derek. It would have to start with doing something she was determined not to do from the beginning which was: to visit his apartment.

Right then and there, Casey got up, grabbed her purse, threw on her blazer and headed over to Derek's apartment. Like Derek, Casey had a key to Derek's apartment which she rarely used out of fear that she may walk into _something _she would immediately want to unsee. This time however without even thinking to knock, Casey hurriedly shoved the key into the door and threw it open. The door flew open too quickly while Casey was still trying to take the key out of the lock, she didn't notice the welcome mat on the floor and before she knew it Casey was on the floor. All she heard was laughter, a familiar laughter, which came from none other than Derek Venturi himself.

Derek clapped his hands and howled, "Behold the return of Klutzilla! What a classic Casey!"

Casey felt mortified by her lack of coordination, but she also saw someone extend their hand to help her up and when she cleared her hair from her face, her eyes widened with surprise as she realized the identity of her helper.

Casey narrowed her eyes and shouted, "Sam!"

All of Casey's embarrassment had morphed into anger. She glared as she walked toward him and began to angrily rapid fire question him, "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me that Derek was here? You knew how worried I was. How could you betray me like this? All those times I called you , just wanting to know if he was okay and you lied every single time."

By now tears were streaming down Casey's face, she wiped a few of them away and demanded an answer from Sam, "How could you?"

Sam looked completely dumbstruck, he didn't know how to react. He didn't know if he should apologize, console her, or just tell her the truth. He got up to try to console her, but Casey put her hand up to stop him and she spat icily, "Don't you dare touch me. I just want to know the truth."

Sam took a deep breath, looked at Derek and said, "I'm sorry man. I've got to tell her the truth."

Derek turned to Sam and in response grumbled, "Fine."

He had been silent throughout the entire exchange, keenly listening to everything they said and in his mind he had been wondering, _'How often do Sam and Casey talk?' _

He looked at Casey with her tear-stained face and he understood why Sam's first instinct was to console her. It took everything Derek had in him, not to put his arms around Casey and let her cry into his shoulder as he ran her fingers through her soft brown hair. He was intrigued by the fact that Casey had been so worried about him and even more suspicious that Sam knew and hadn't said a word. Derek would make sure that he and Sam exchanged words when Casey was through with him.

Derek refocused on the conversation when Sam started speaking.

Sam looked at Casey and said, "I am so sorry, Case. I never wanted to hurt you, but Derek asked me not to mention anything about him to you. I tried my best to keep my word to him, but I wanted to tell you every time."

Casey looked at Derek as a tear rolled down her cheek, her heart panged with regret and her voice trembled a little as she said, "Derek, I am sorry for what I said in our last fight. But, if you really want me to stay away from you I will."

Derek felt his heart sink because he knew Casey was sincere in her apology. He did not even remember telling Sam not to tell Casey anything about him or his whereabouts. One thing he just couldn't shake was how upset he was by Casey's tears and how guilty they made him feel. He knew that the only way he could get rid of it was to make things right.

Despite all of the emotions swimming in his mind, Derek kept his composure firm as to not let on how affected he was by the entire situation and he said a mere, "I'm sorry, too. I never should of-"

Suddenly everyone's attention was diverted by the sound of a door opening and closing towards the back of Derek's apartment. Then, Casey saw someone emerging from the hallway and she was completely taken aback. It was Sally.

Sally ran over to Casey, gave her a tight hug and said, "Casey, are you okay?"

Just then Casey realized how much of a mess she must have looked like due to the crying. Casey had not yet gotten over the shock of seeing Sally to the point where she did not even acknowledge Sally's question and asked pointedly, "What are you doing here?"

Sally shot Derek a disappointed look and said, "Derek, you didn't tell her I was here and you lied to me."

Derek sighed and simply said, "It's a long story."

Sally looked at Derek angrily and said, "Well, I've got time and I better get some answers or I'm out of here."

Derek put up his hands and said, "Okay, fine. Casey and I had a fight and she told me to stay out of her life which I obliged her on when I decided to come visit you for a few days and when I told Sam not to say anything about it. Then, I came back and Sam apparently continued to keep his word."

Derek glanced at Casey when he said those last few words and noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. He continued to look at her with sad eyes, but then pulled them away to look at Sally as he finished his confession with, "Then two weeks later, you came to visit me like you promised."

Sally had her arms folded across her chest and she looked sadly at Derek as she realized that this situation was more complicated than she expected. Derek and Casey had taken their fighting too far and both of them had share in the blame.

There was a long silence after Derek finished speaking, until Casey broke the silence when she said, "Derek once again I am sorry for what I said and I do forgive you."

Then she turned her attention to Sam and said as her voice broke with tears streaming down her face, "But you, Sam, I cannot forgive. You repeatedly betrayed me. You had so many opportunities to tell me the truth and you chose not to. You knew... you knew-" Casey words were cut off as she tried to gather her composure before continuing and Sally put her arms around her, holding her tightly.

"You knew how upset I was. I thought you were my friend and a friend would not have put me through that. A real friend would have told me the truth."

With those as her final words, Casey broke free from Sally's hug and sprinted out of the apartment while Sam sat there looking completely broken-hearted.

Casey ran to the end of the hallway of Derek's floor and around the corner where she backed up against the wall and slid to the floor. She pulled her knees close to her body and let out the violent sobs that she had held inside while in the apartment. It had become too much for her. The way Derek told Sam not to talk to her about him, the way he told Sally to visit without even telling her, the way Derek did not even seem bothered by the fact that he hurt her so much, and the way Sam did not even have the decency to tell her the truth, each act felt like another knife in her heart, all done by the people she cared the most about.

All she wanted to do was call Emily and tell her about all of the awful things she had been through that night, but even their friendship was tainted by the sad truth that Sam told her only a few weeks ago. Casey had never felt so alone.

Back at Derek's apartment, things were still tense. Sam had not uttered a word and a few minutes after Casey left, he decided it was time to go as well. He grunted goodbye to Derek and Sally and exited the apartment swiftly with his head hung low and his hands in his pockets. That left Derek and Sally alone and Sally had a few choice words for Derek herself.

Derek and Sally walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch in silence, then Sally put her hand on Derek's cheek and said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Derek flashed a flippant smile and said, "Talk about what?" He then tried to grab the remote to turn on the T.V., but Sally grabbed the it away from him and turned his face to face hers.

"Derek, I know that you were hurt by what Casey said. Why didn't you tell me?"

Derek looked at Sally and there was concern written all over her face. He wanted to tell her everything, but where would he start when he didn't even understand what he felt. He figured that it would do more harm than good so he just said, "I'm tired and I don't want to talk about anything. Especially feelings, that's chick stuff."

He then pressed a kiss to Sally's cheek and headed to bed. This left Sally feeling disheartened, but certain that Derek was hiding something.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks again for reading! I know its been a while since I posted a chapter, but I've been so busy. I will try my best to put up chapters much faster and I am really glad you like this story. I know it seems to be straying from Dasey, but stick with me because I have some great things up my sleeve. Enjoy! :)

CHAPTER 5

The morning after the big confrontation, Casey woke up feeling sick to her stomach. She dragged herself out of bed and made herself a giant cup of her favorite tea. Out of habit, she picked up her phone to check the time and noticed that she had a text message from Emily. Casey smiled as she read it, 'Hey Casey! Just checking up on you since I haven't heard from you in a while. Hope everything is better with Derek. Call me when you see this! xo -Em'

Casey let out a deep breath and thought, _'Why not? I really need someone to talk to.'_

She pressed dial and decided to call Emily.

"Good morning, Em! I got your text and thought I'd give you a call," Casey said trying to sound cheerful.

Emily replied, "Hey, Case. How are you? I was getting worried since I haven't heard from you in a while."

Casey sighed and said, "I'm fine."

Emily immediately knew that Casey's words were a red flag that everything was not fine with her best friend. Emily asked in a serious tone, "Casey, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

Casey bit her lip and noted the genuine concern in Emily's voice. Casey knew that Emily was a great friend whether or not it was from the very beginning and she was a person who truly cared about her.

Casey decided to start from the beginning and the words just continued to tumble out of her mouth until the very end. She told Emily everything, from her fight with Derek to her breakdown in hallway. Emily listened the whole way through and when Casey was finished she was speechless.

After a few moments, Casey heard Emily blowing her nose which caused Casey to furrow her eyebrows and ask absentmindedly, "Em, do you have a cold?"

Emily wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "No, it's just that I feel terrible about all that has happened to you. I'm not even there to have your back through it all. I am so sorry, Case."

Casey felt touched by Emily's words and said, "Aw, thanks Em. But, you are here for me right now. After telling you everything I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest and I feel so much better. And it's all because of you."

"So you're going to be okay?" Emily sniffled.

"Yes, I'm going to be fine. Anyways, enough about me. How have you been? Any cute boys to report on?" Casey inquired in order to shift the conversation away from her messed up life.

"Everything has been pretty dull on my end compared to what you have been going through. And speaking of cute boys, how has everything with Max been going?" Emily replied.

"Max and I are doing pretty well. I haven't told him anything about the Derek drama yet-" Casey conversation was cut short when she heard a knock at her door.

"I'm sorry, Em. I have to go, there's someone at the door."

Emily sighed and said, "Ok, Case. Talk to you later."

Casey ran over to her door and looked through the peephole only to see a distorted view of Max holding a bouquet of flowers.

Casey opened the door, hugged him and planted a kiss on his lips. Then, she looked at the beautiful arrangement of roses, tulips and daisies in her boyfriend's hands and asked, "Are these for me?"

Max grinned and replied, "Of course they are for you, silly." Casey giggled and went to find a vase for her beautiful flowers. After she set up the flowers, Max grabbed her by the waist and asked, "So, have you had breakfast yet because I know a fine young gentleman who is willing to take you out?"

Casey smiled and said, "I haven't, but you are going to have to tell this man that someone has already stolen my heart."

Max laughed and asked playfully, "And who might that be?" Then, he leaned down gently and started to kiss her. She deepened the kiss by pulling him closer to her body as he lifted her up and secured her legs around his waist.

Their kiss was broken when Casey's front door suddenly flew open and in walked Derek holding a disposable tray. Max was still carrying Casey and their eyes were wide with surprise. They all stood there as if frozen in time as Derek stared at Casey and Max and they had their gaze fixed on him. Max ended their staring contest by whispering the question, "Case, why does your stepbrother have a key to your apartment?"

Derek laughed and said, "Sorry, guys. Didn't mean to intrude on your morning make out session. I just wanted to bring Casey some breakfast and make sure she was okay because Sally wouldn't let me watch hockey unless I did. But from what I can tell, she looks more than okay. So, I'm just gunna head out now."

Derek flew out the door after his little monologue and as soon as he closed the door, Casey and Max burst into fits of laughter. When they finally caught their breath, Max regained his composure and said, "That was really nice of Derek to bring you some breakfast. I knew you two would work things out. But, why was he checking up on you? Did something happen?"

Casey sighed and figured that the only way to let go of the whole ordeal was to be honest, "Last night I went to Derek's apartment to apologize about the fight and then, I got into an even bigger fight with Sam. I know it's all really confusing, but I just didn't want you to worry."

Max looked troubled and there was even a hint of anger in his eyes, "Casey, I always want you to come to me. You don't have to deal with things on your own because I always want to be here for you. I want to be your knight in shining armor, remember? I'm your Prince Charming and you are my princess."

Max took her face in his hands and said, "Do you understand?"

Casey smiled and looked up at Max, "Yes. You always know exactly what to say." Then, she kissed him passionately and said, "Thank you, Max."

Casey felt happy and safe as Max held her in his arms and his reassuring words were music to her ears, but for some reason the closer Max got to her, the more her heart hurt. It was a pain that she couldn't put her finger on and it made her feel both confused and afraid of what it could mean.

Sally was fixing lunch when Derek stormed into the apartment. Sally felt uneasy, but she knew that the only way Derek would feel better about whatever he was going through was to talk about it. She unfortunately had the daunting task of trying to find out what exactly he was upset about.

Sally entered living room holding two well-stacked sandwiches and rested them on the coffee table. She stood with her hands on her hips watching Derek as he angrily flipped through the channels.

"Derek, we have to talk about whatever you have been going through. I'm really worried about you. I know something is wrong and I know it's the reason you came to see me in Vancouver. Just talk to me about it," Sally pleaded to Derek.

He tried his best to ignore her by continuing to flip through the channels, but he knew that she would not quit until she got through to him.

Sally continued her prodding by taking the remote from him and asking, "Did something happen today? You seem more upset that usual."

Derek looked at her with surprised eyes. She knew him so well. He looked up at her wearily and said, "Yes, something did happen today. I went to Casey's to drop off the breakfast you made for her and I walked in on her and Max getting heated in the kitchen. If it weren't for your stupid concern for Space Case, I would have never seen that. And, boy do I wish I could unsee it."

Sally was totally caught off guard by Derek's words, "Casey is with Max again! Oh my God! That girl never fails to surprise me."

Derek looked at Sally with an intense stare and said, "I had no idea Casey was seeing anyone, let alone Max! I can't believe that something this _huge _was going on with her and I was totally clueless. What if he hurts her? Nora asked me to watch out for her and I just left her."

Derek put his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands while murmuring the question, "How could I not of known?"

Sally could not believe the way Derek was reacting to Casey's relationship with Max, then suddenly it clicked.

Sally rubbed Derek's back and said, "It's Casey, isn't it? She's why you are so upset."

Derek looked up at Sally and asked as if completely disgusted, "What? Why would Casey make me upset?"

Sally looked at him deeply in the eyes and she automatically knew she was right. Feeling more confident in her assumption she replied, "Maybe it's because you really cared about her despite all of the teasing, fights and pranks. Maybe it hurt you so much when she told you to stay out her life that you tried to get away from the pain by visiting me in Vancouver. Derek, do you know it's okay to care about her and to want to protect her?"

Derek sat with his hands folded, he looked up at Sally and smirked, "You know Sally, I could just tell you that you are right about it all, but I would be lying. I don't care about Casey. End of story."

Sally looked at all of the pain in Derek's eyes and knew he was lying, but she decided to let the subject go for now before she made him too angry. Sally threw her hands up in defeat and said, "Okay, Der. Whatever you say. I'm going to take a shower."

Derek nodded and said, "Okay." After Sally left, he remembered the sandwiches she made and he suddenly felt ravenous. Derek was just finishing up the delicious sandwich, when heard a knock at his door.

Derek shook off the crumbs from the sandwich as he got up to open the door. When he did, he saw Casey standing there.

Casey walked into the apartment, pointed at Derek's face and said with a laugh, "Derek, did you know that you have mayo on the corner of your mouth?"

Derek's hand shot up to the clean his mouth and then, sounding clearly annoyed asked, "Casey, what are you doing here?"

"I just dropped by to say thank you for dropping off breakfast and coming to make sure I was okay. That was really sweet," Casey said sounding sincere and truly grateful.

Derek smirked and said, "Your welcome, but it was all Sally. She was the one who really wanted to make sure you were okay and she made the breakfast."

"Oh okay. Where is she?" Casey asked as she looked at the ground, trying to hide the disappointment on her face.

"She's in the shower," Derek said as headed back to the couch in the living room.

"Okay, I'll just talk to her later then. Max is waiting for me in the car," Casey said as she turned to head out the door.

Derek felt his heart drop as he remembered all of Sally words and how angry not being a part of Casey's life made him.

But before Casey could leave, she saw Sally running down the hallway, wrapped in a towel, saying, "Casey, is that you? I thought I heard your voice."

The sight of Sally in a towel was quite shocking to Casey, but she hid her surprise and said, "Hey, Sally! It's nice to see you again. I just wanted to say thanks for breakfast and for sending Derek to check up on me, it was really nice of you."

Sally smiled and said, "Aw, it's no big deal. You seemed so upset last night and I was really worried about you."

Casey gave Sally an awkward hug and said, "You've always been really great! Derek's lucky to have you. I really better go, Max is waiting for me in the car."

Sally nodded and said, "I'm glad you're okay, Casey. Hope you have a good time."

Casey smiled and waved at Sally as she headed out the door.

This time on their date, Casey made sure to focus completely on Max because he was one person she did not want to lose. The restaurant was exquisitely designed and had a beautiful garden in the backyard filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers like orchids, peonies, and marigolds. After dinner, Max asked Casey to accompany him for a walk through the garden and Casey happily agreed.

_'What a perfect night! This is exactly what I needed,'_ Casey thought to herself as she hooked her arm through Max's curved elbow.

Max and Casey walked around the garden admiring its beauty for a short while when Max stopped, turned to Casey and kissed her.

Casey smiled almost in disbelief that the kiss really happened, looked up at Max and said breathlessly, "What was that for?"

"That was because of how beautiful you look tonight," Max said as his eyes took in her pale lavender satin dress that seemed to make her eyes sparkle.

She blushed and looked down as Max interlaced their fingers and said, "I've been thinking about how much it hurt me to see you in pain, Casey. I never want to see you hurting and to feel like there is nothing I can do about it. I want to be there for you forever because I love you."

Casey could not believe what she was hearing and as she unconsciously wiped the tears from her eyes, she managed to squeak out, "I love you, too."

Max laughed and Casey could feel the happiness radiating from him. All of a sudden, she saw him lower himself to one knee and reach into his coat pocket. Before Casey could register what he was doing or could even utter a single word Max asked with confidence, "Casey McDonald, will you marry me?"

The tears lingered in Casey's blue eyes until she blinked and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She finally understood why Max put in so much effort to make this night everything she could wish for. She looked down at his hopeful eyes and saw the confidence he had in him slipping away as she remained speechless. Her stomach did flips, her heart raced in her chest and her lips breathed out the word, "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Casey could not believe that she had just agreed to marry Max. The panic instantly took over her body as she realized that she had spoken too quickly. The questions flew through her mind, _'How did we even get to this? Didn't I just tell him I love him? Do I love him or was I just saying that? Oh my gosh! How could I have made a decision this big without even thinking about it?'_

The rapid-fire questions zoomed through Casey's mind while the grin on Max's face could not have gotten bigger. He picked Casey up and twirled her in the air and said, "I am the luckiest man in the world. I am going to marry the girl of my dreams."

Casey smiled uneasily at his kind words as the guilt coursed through her body and weighed down her heart. Casey trembled with her mixed feelings as Max slid an exquisite square-cut diamond ring on to the finger on her left hand. Max kissed her and she could feel the intensity his feelings and love for her, but she prayed that he couldn't feel her doubt and anxiety.

When Casey finally arrived home, she felt completely drained both physically and emotionally. She went straight to her perfectly made bed, threw herself into the pillows and cried herself to sleep.

Three days after the surprise proposal, Casey woke up to the sound of the her cell phone vibrating from a new text message.

It read, "Good morning, Mrs. Miller! Do you want to grab lunch at the diner today? There is something I need to ask you. Love you! -Max"

Casey looked at the text and she froze at the words 'Mrs. Miller'. It amazed her that those two little words could send chills up her spine. Casey let her eyes trail from her phone to the ring on her left hand and thought to herself, _'This is real. This is really happening.' _

She felt as though she was finally waking up from a long dream. She had been in a fog for the past three days to the point where she was in denial that the whole thing even happened. She realized that she could no longer deny that this was happening to her. She avoided all of her friends and did not even mention a word of it to Emily.

Casey decided that the only way to escape the drama in her life was to throw herself in to making her academic life perfect. It was nearing the end of the spring semester and Casey had finals to worry about, engaged or not. Then, it hit her. Casey smacked a hand to her forehead and shook her head, _'What would my parents say about me getting married? I haven't finished school, I haven't lived my life. And now I have to plan a wedding. What if everyone thinks I'm pregnant?'_

The more Casey let herself worry about her predicament, the more it set her on edge and the anxiety began to creep up on her. Casey was well on her way to having a full fledge panic attack when she heard a knock on her door. She calmed herself down and headed over to it to check the peephole. It was Max.

Casey sighed and opened the door.

Max glided through the door, placed a kiss on her cheek and cheerfully said, "Hello, my beautiful fiancée!"

Casey smiled and said, "Hi. Do you want some tea?"

Max chuckled and replied, "Casey, don't you remember? I don't like tea at all. Anyways, I stopped by to tell you that I won't be able to make it for lunch today because I have a final. But, I did want to ask you if you told anyone about our engagement?"

"Nope. I haven't told anyone," Casey answered with a shrug.

Max's eyebrows shot up with a surprised expression and said, "Really? Not even Emily?"

Casey looked down at her cup of tea and replied, "No, not even Em."

Then, she looked up at him and asked, "Why?"

"Well, I am kind of glad that you didn't," Max said hurriedly.

Casey's eyes widened with surprised and Max continued, "I want to have an announcement dinner party."

Casey almost choked on her tea when she heard his suggestion and she said, "A what?"

Max laughed at her spill and said, "An engagement announcement dinner party. We invite all of our friends for dinner and surprise them with the news of our engagement. What do you think?"

Once again without thinking, Casey blurted out, "Sure. It sounds great."

Max smiled from ear to ear and said, "I'm so happy you like it. So, you invite your people and I'll invite a few of my friends. I really have to go now or I'm going to be late for class."

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and ran out the door, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Derek struggled to open the door to the Prince and thought to himself, _'This old fucking piece of crap. How did Dad talk me into driving this car anyway? And great, I think I just saw that hottie laugh at me.'_

Derek pulled the car handle aggressively and when it finally opened, he hopped in and slammed the door. He was getting ready to pull out of the university parking lot when someone pulled open the car door and hopped into the passenger seat. Derek was shocked by the intrusion, but calmed down when he saw that it was Sam.

"Hi, Derek."

"Sam, I could have killed you. You don't just sneak up on a guy like that," Derek said.

Sam laughed and said, "Yeah, Derek. You definitely could have killed me."

Derek started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Then, he turned to Sam and said, "Seriously, man. How have you been?"

Sam's took on a more serious tone and said with a shrug, "I've been better."

Derek looked at Sam and notice a trace of sadness coming from his best friend that had never been there before.

"I'm really sorry, Sam. It's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten you involved in our drama. I know you and Casey were good friends and I really didn't mean to ruin it," Derek said with sincerity.

"Thanks, man. That means a lot, but it doesn't fix anything. Casey still hates me. I did lie to her, so I guess I deserve it," Sam said with regret written all over his face.

Derek furrowed his brows and asked, "So, how often did you and Casey talk anyway? I mean it seemed like you guys were really close or I'm sure she wouldn't have gotten so... you know... emotional."

The question took Sam by surprise and he said without much thought, "Casey and I used to talk all the time. She would call everyday at five just to see if I had heard from you and I lied to her every time. It's hard to forgive yourself for hurting someone whose intentions were so good. She was so passionate and she really cared. Not just about you, about everything. And I ruined it all."

Derek listened intently to every word as pulled into his apartment building parking lot. He couldn't understand why but for some reason, the more Sam spoke the angrier he became. In his mind he questioned,_ 'Why is Sam telling me this? I don't want to know how much I hurt her or about how he was there for her when I wasn't.' _But instead of asking what was on his mind, he turned to Sam and said, "Don't worry so much about Casey. Let's go play some Babe Raider."

Sam smiled and said, "Only if there's pizza involved."

Derek smirked and said, "There always is."

The boys were in the middle of a serious Babe Raider battle when Derek heard his phone ringing. They paused the game so he could answer it. It was Casey.

Derek spoke to Casey for a few minutes and after he hung up, he turned to Sam and said, "What are you doing tonight?"

Sam shrugged and said, "Nothing. What did you have in mind?"

Derek smirked and said, "Well, Casey just invited me and Sally to a dinner party at her place. Y  
You should join us."

Sam walked over to Derek, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Derek, you have had some stupid ideas, but that suggestion takes the cake. I am one hundred percent sure that Casey does not want me there."

Derek looked pointedly at Sam and asked, "Sam, do you care about Casey and want to make up with her?"

Sam glanced at Derek with intrigued eyes and replied, "You know I do."

Derek said, "So, go to the dinner party and talk to her. Plus, there's less of chance that she'll yell at you if there are lots of people around."

Sam smiled nervously at Derek and said, "Good point. Now, can we please get back to the game?"

Casey was in official freak out mode. The guests were going to be arriving soon and she had nothing ready. She hadn't felt this much stress over planning a meal since her dad's first visit to the Venturi/McDonald household. She had to prepare food for seven people her small kitchen all alone which was no easy task. Casey had just finished draining the sweet potatoes when she heard a knock at the door.

_'I hope those are the floral arrangements for the centerpiece,' _she thought to herself.

Casey looked through her peephole, gasped and flung opened the door hurriedly.

"Lizzie! Edwin! What are you guys doing here?" Casey asked happily.

Lizzie hugged her older sister and said, "We thought we would come and see how you guys were doing. We miss you so much!"

Casey smiled and looked at her little sister. She couldn't believe how different Lizzie looked after just two years. She wore her makeup subtly and her long brown hair was streaked with hints of blond. Edwin looked different as well, but seemed to stick true to his own sense of style. He wore a royal purple shirt and gray shorts that would not have worked for anyone but him.

Casey gave Lizzie a squeeze and said, "I miss you guys, too. But, you caught me at kind of a crazy-"

Her words were interrupted by another knock on the door. Casey opened it and she received a gorgeous arrangement of red and yellow tulips.

Lizzie and Edwin stared confusedly at Casey and Edwin asked, "Casey, why did that man just give you flowers?"

"They are for my centerpiece. Tonight I am having a dinner party and I could really use your help in the kitchen," Casey said as she headed back into the kitchen.

Edwin turned to Lizzie with a hesitant expression and whispered, "Liz, is it just me or is this starting to feel a lot like old times?"

Lizzie nodded nervously and followed her sister in to the kitchen with Edwin trailing behind her.

Casey turned to her new helpers and started to give them their orders.

"Lizzie, I'd like you to start seasoning the sweet potatoes and Edwin, I'd like you to take the roasted asparagus out of the oven. If you need me, I'll be setting the table."

Casey walked in to her living room which she expertly redesigned to double as a dining room for the occasion. Max helped her set up a large dining table which she had originally set up to fit seven, but it now had to be reset to fit nine people. She had taken some time earlier in the day to settle into the idea of marriage, but one slip up in the evening could tip her right over the edge.

When they we finished Casey was pleased because she, Edwin and Lizzie were able to finish up the rest of the dinner and get the table to accommodate all of the guest within the hour. Around six o' clock, Max arrived with his three guests. He pointed to a tall, muscular, olive-toned man and a girl with long, straight blond hair and said, "Case, this is Craig and his girlfriend, Alexis."

Then, he gestured to another man who was smaller compared to Craig, but it was clear he was an athlete as well and said, "This is Jerry. They are my buddies from the football team."

Casey smiled, clasped her hands and said, "Hey everyone. I'm Casey and I'm am so happy you could join us tonight and I really hope you enjoy the meal."

She led them into the dining room and they all sat down with Edwin and Lizzie as they waited for the other guests to arrive. The boys chattered on and on about football so, Casey decided to get to know Alexis a little better.

She started the conversation by saying, "So Alexis, do you go to Queens too?"

Alexis tossed her hair over her shoulder, looked pointedly at Casey and said, "Yes, I do."

Casey could feel a bad vibe coming off of Alexis, but she shook it off and kept the conversation going, "What's your major?"

"Fashion and merchandising. What about you? You look like the bookish type," Alexis replied.

Casey was about to ask Alexis exactly what she meant by that when she her front door open and she knew instantly that it was Derek.

When Derek entered his eyes widened with surprise when he saw his brother and younger stepsister. Edwin and Lizzie jumped from their seats and shouted, "Derek!" and ran into his open arms. Casey couldn't help but become emotional while looking on at the happy reunion. Derek put his hands on Lizzie's shoulder and said, "Well, look at you Lizard. I'm sure you're taking over Thompson High. And Edwin, what on Earth made you think that wearing that shirt was legal?"

Casey had been so caught up with Derek, Lizzie and Edwin that she hadn't noticed when Sam and Sally slipped into the room behind him.

Casey walked over to them, gave Sally a hug, said an awkward hello to Sam and asked them to take their seats. Then, she pulled Derek into the kitchen to have a word.

"Derek, you are unbelievable! Why did you invite Sam? You know how I feel about him right now," Casey said angrily. Her eyes searched his face for an answer.

He was about to give her a smart answer which he knew would annoy her even more. But, the longer he looked at the distress in written all over her face, the more he wanted to take her pain away.

"Casey, why do always think the worst of me? Maybe I thought this would be a good opportunity for you and Sam to make up," Derek suggested.

Casey raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why do you care if Sam and I make up?"

Derek shrugged and said, "Casey, I know it was my fault that you guys fought and Sam seems genuinely upset about the whole thing."

Casey smiled and somehow was not surprised that Derek's heart was in the right place. He had a knack for sweet gestures and it made her heart melt every time.

She sighed and said, "Fine. Let's take our seats before dinner gets cold."

Derek looked at her and asked, "So, what are we having?"

Casey recited her menu proudly, "We are having: spring rolls as an appetizer, chicken francese for a main course with sweet potatoes and roasted asparagus as sides, and lemon sorbet for dessert."

Derek face twisted with disgust as he heard the menu and asked, "Can I order a pizza?"

"Derek!", Casey said in frustration before she elbowed him in the side and went to take her seat at the dining table.

When Casey reentered the living/dining room, Lizzie called her into the kitchen.

Lizzie looked worriedly at Casey and said, "Casey, we have a problem. There are nine plate settings and ten guests."

_'Fuck!' _, Casey thought to herself. Sam was the extra guest. Casey hustled over to the dining table and made an extra place for Sam.

When everyone was seated, they started dinner and everyone chattered politely except for Alexis who tried to give a compelling speech about why fashion should be taken more seriously. After dinner, Max signaled Casey that it was time to reveal their news.

Max stood up, clinked his glass to get everyone's attention and announced proudly, "Guys, I am so thrilled to tell you that Casey and I are engaged."

Casey blushed and held up her left hand to show them her engagement ring which sparkled as the light glinted off of it.

Sally shrieked and said, "Oh my God, Casey! I am so happy for you. Can I see the ring?"

Casey stretched out her hand so Sally could get a better look. Lizzie smiled happily and asked, "Casey, why didn't you tell me sooner? I can't wait to tell Mom and George."

Casey looked around the table at each person's face and she saw traces of shock and bewilderment on each one of them. No one saw it coming.

Casey looked at Derek's face and she could see him force a smile after recovering from the shock. He looked over at her and for no more than a few seconds their eyes met and Casey couldn't help but feel a certain sadness emanating between them. Their gaze broke when Sally asked, "So have you guys set a date yet?"

"No, we haven't really worked out any details. You are the first people that have heard the news. I'm going to call my mom and Emily tomorrow," Casey said trying to sound excited.

Max tapped Casey on the shoulder and said, "The guys want to go and grab a few drinks, do you guys want to come?"

"Nah, I think I'm just going to stay and clean up. I'm tired from preparing everything anyway. Have fun," Casey replied.

Max leaned down, kissed her and said, "Thanks, babe. I'll see you tomorrow."

After Max left, Sam grumbled a quiet, "Thanks for dinner," to Casey and left swiftly without another word.

Sally offered to help Casey clean up while Edwin, Lizzie and Derek headed to the sofa to catch up. When Sally and Casey were in the kitchen, Sally turned to Casey and said, "You need to spill. I want every detail about the proposal."

Casey smiled and said, "Oh, Sally. It was so romantic. He took me to a wonderful restaurant and it had a garden in the back filled with all kinds of beautiful flowers. Then, he kissed me, told me loved me and proposed. How could a girl say no to all of that?"

"Well, it sounds amazing but honestly, I would say no if my heart wasn't in it," Sally said as she rinsed off a plate and handed it to Casey to dry.

Casey laughed nervously and said, "Then, it's a good thing I love him too."

Sally turned to Casey and said with sincerity, "I'm glad you're happy, Casey. You know I always thought Max was a good guy. And I remember how great the two of you looked at that prom that Derek took me to when you guys were in high school."

Casey smiled at the memory and said, "Yeah, I remember Derek came back for me. He saved my night. What a surprise that was!"

Sally laughed and said, "Yeah. Derek is pretty great, too."

"So, I guess the next engagement we might hear about will be yours and Derek's," Casey pried as she nudged Sally with her elbow.

Sally laughed so hard at Casey's suggestion that a plate almost slipped from her hands. When she caught her breath and saw the confused look on Casey's face she said, "How can Derek propose when he and I aren't even a couple?"

This time the plate did slip and it shattered to pieces on the floor, Casey was shocked.

"Wait a second," Casey pondered. "You and Derek are not together? I thought he went to Vancouver to declare his undying love for you or something like that."

Sally laughed again and said, "No, Casey. I took this semester off and me and my boyfriend, Dean traveled to Europe. Derek came to visit me in Vancouver a few days after I got back and we talked." Sally's tone started to grow more serious as she went on. "The more we talked, the more I realized that something was wrong with him, like something was bothering him. I tried to get him to open up about it, but he left before I could ask him anything. That's when I decided to beat him at his own game and pay him a visit. Then, I found out about the fight you guys had and figured that's what was eating him."

Sally looked at Casey and she saw the confusion written all over her face. Casey took a few moments to digest Sally's words and then she said, "I can't believe that a stupid fight would take such a toll on him or even scratch the surface. I really didn't mean to hurt him so much."

Sally put an arm around Casey, pulled her close and said, "I know you didn't."

"Hey, are you guys finished because I'm ready to leave?"

The sound of Derek's voice interrupted their moment and Sally said, "I'll be there in a sec."

Casey looked at Derek and said to Sally, "No, it's okay. I'll take care of everything else. You guys can leave if you want."

Sally raised an eyebrow at Casey and asked, "You sure?"

Casey smiled and said, "Yes, I'm sure. Thanks for everything, Sally."

Sally gave her a tight hug and said, "Anytime."

Derek grabbed his leather jacket from the coat rack, stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. Casey looked at Sally and said, "What was that about?"

Sally looked at Casey worriedly and said, "I don't know, but I'm about to find out." Then, she ran after Derek and she saw him storming quickly to the parking lot. She raced after him and grabbed his hand to slow him down.

"Derek! Stop! Just talk to me," she pleaded.

Derek continued to speed walk without a word.

"Please, Derek. If you ever loved me, just stop. Stop and talk to me," Sally begged.

Derek stopped and said angrily, "Fine. What do you want me to say, Sally? Huh? Do you want me to talk about how the people that I care about the most don't want me in their lives?"

Sally put her hands on her hips and said, "So this is about Casey again, huh? Derek, I'm sure she still wants you in her life. You heard how much she cares about you, how she tried to find about how you were doing when you left."

"That's not the point," Derek grumbled.

Sally continued to pry, she needed to find out what was wrong with him. She needed to help him. "Derek, you have so many people in your life that care about you. You have your entire family, Sam, me and even Casey."

"Casey is getting married. She is marrying Max and how long have they been together? A month. When did I find out that they were even together? Six days ago. Six _fucking _days!"

"So, you're worried that Casey will be safe and happy with Max and that you won't be a part of her life anymore? Or are you worried that she won't be safe and happy? Because I'm sure she will always be there when you need her and she will be safe. She told me that Max is a perfect gentlemen and that she loves him."

Those last three words made Derek's stomach turn sour. Derek looked at Sally with sad eyes and said, "She loves him?"

Sally nodded, put her arms around Derek and said trying to cheer him up, "Yes. She loves him and she will be happy, so you have nothing to worry about."

Derek looked at Sally with glazed eyes and said, "I can't believe she loves him. He's only been around for a month and already she loves him."

Sally's eyes widened with surprised as she finally understood the source of Derek's pain. She was lost in her thoughts as she searched her memory for all of the signs that she easily missed, but had always been there. She didn't realize Derek calling her name until he took her face in his hands and asked, "What about you, Sally? You are the only girl I ever loved and you left me."

Sally looked at Derek and said, "You think I'm the only girl you've ever loved. But, what about Casey?"

"I DO NOT CARE ABOUT CASEY!" Derek yelled. Sally flinched as he raised his voice.

"Derek, you need to calm down and really think about what is in your heart. I think you do care about Casey and I know it's driving you crazy. You need to admit it and deal with it, especially if she is going to marry Max," Sally said calmly.

Derek stared at Sally as he registered her words, then he let go of her and walked away.

A/N: This chapter is a huge turning point! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave me any questions or comments.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I know this chapter has been a long wait, but I have been so busy with life in general. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's one that I'm sure a lot of you have been waiting for. Happy reading!

*I re-edited this chapter b/c there were a few bugs in it. :)

Chapter 7

Derek was lost, literally lost. After he left Sally, he walked aimlessly while submerged in his thoughts and now he did not know where he was. He did know how much of a jerk he had been to Sally, but he hated the way she pushed him to confess he had feelings for Casey. He thought to himself, _'I'll admit that I care about her but in love, that's just insane. People do not fall for their step-siblings.' _

Derek looked around and saw the red-flashing of a 'MOTEL' sign two blocks away, so he headed there and decided to rent room for a night. He went in to the room, threw himself onto the bed and as soon as he closed his eyes, the images of the dinner party flooded his mind.

_'Max looked at Casey, rose from his seat and clinked his glass. 'Guys, I am so thrilled to tell you Casey and I are engaged!' Casey smiled and her left hand shot up to show off her ring. Derek sat in his seat, completely breathless. He didn't want anyone to notice his discomfort, so he struggled a quick smile. He looked over at Sally. She was so thrilled for the happy couple and Derek wondered why he even brought her with him tonight. She was his friend and she was supposed to be on his side. Then, he looked at Casey and to his surprise she was looking right back at him, dead in the eyes. She did not look thrilled, she looked uncomfortable. She looked like she didn't love him and like somehow her icy blue eyes were begging for him to save her. But, he knew he couldn't and it killed him inside.'_

Derek opened his eyes with a start, would those eyes haunt him forever?

The next morning Derek took a cab back to his apartment and the first thing on his mind was to apologize to Sally. She didn't deserve all he was putting her through, but he also didn't want her to go around thinking he was in love with Casey. When he pushed open his apartment door, he called for her.

"Sally! Salllyyy! You home?" Derek walked around the apartment, searching frantically for her. Now he knew how Casey felt when she lost something important.

He checked his room, the guest room, and even knocked on the bathroom door. Then, he looked around for her luggage, but there was no trace of it. He circled back around to the kitchen and found a note laying on the counter.

_Derek,_

_I know you're hurting. I am sorry I pushed you so hard to admit you had feelings for Casey, but I really thought that if you talked about it, it would make you feel better. I love you and I will always be here for you when you need a friend. I had to go back to Vancouver because Dean is leaving to explore Brazil and I wanted to see him again before he left. But, even though, I'm not there with you, I can be there for you. Call me anytime you need to talk._

_Love always,_

_Sally_

A tear rolled down Derek's cheek as he realized the reality of the letter. He pushed away the one person who tried to help him. He remembered how he yelled at her, screamed at her, and just left her to get home on her own last night. The more he thought about it, the angrier he grew. He closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair and crumpled up the note he had in hand and threw it. It landed somewhere in his kitchen, but he didn't care enough to pick it up. Instead, he ransacked his kitchen to find something edible and settled on a microwave dinner with a dessert of Doritos. Then, he threw himself on the couch and let himself get lost in the world of hockey.

Casey was irritated. She slammed her morning cup of tea on the coffee table causing it to splash around and spill a little around the edges.

_'Who does Derek think he is anyway? Storming out of here like that last night. I'm supposed to be happy about my engagement, but instead I'm stuck here worried about him,' _she thought angrily. She heard the creak of a door opening and saw Lizzie coming out of the guest room through the corner of her eye.

Lizzie walked over and said, "Morning, Casey."

Casey smiled at her not-so-little sister and said, "Morning, Liz. How did you sleep?"

"Fine," Lizzie replied as she rummaged through Casey's fridge.

Casey looked down at her tea and said softly, "Sorry, I didn't tell you about the engagement right away. I wanted to, but everything was so hectic with the dinner party-"

Lizzie cut her off as she poured herself some orange juice and sat down next to Casey at the coffee table. "Casey, it's okay. I was glad that I could help you. But, I would love to hear how you ended up engaged to Max."

Casey grinned at Lizzie who was waiting anxiously for her sister to gush about her romance the way she used to when she was in high school. Casey told Lizzie the entire story and by the end of it, Lizzie felt slightly disappointed. She noticed that there was something missing in Casey's tone as she spoke about her relationship with Max. When Casey used to talk about her romantic life in high school, she would have a dreamy look in her eyes and Lizzie would instantly know that Casey was smitten, but this time Casey's words felt as though she were telling Lizzie about recent events from the daily news.

Casey picked up on the worried look on Lizzie's face and asked, "Liz, are you okay?"

Lizzie quickly snapped out of her thoughts, turned to Casey and asked, "Are you happy?"

Casey smiled hastily and said, "Of course, I'm happy. I'm getting married. Don't I look happy?"

The answer to Casey's question was written all over Lizzie's face. Lizzie put her hand over Casey's and pleaded, "If something is wrong, you know you can talk to me, right?"

Casey shook her head and asked, "When did you get so smart, Lizzie? I'm supposed to be helping you when you mess up, not the other way around."

Lizzie looked Casey right in the eyes and said, "Casey, we are sisters. I am here for you and you are here for me. We both need each other. The difference in our age does not matter."

Casey's eyes welled up as she took in Lizzie's supportive words and she broke down in tears. Casey's chest heaved as the sobs came pouring out of her and Lizzie looked on in horror. She thought that Casey was unhappy, but she never imagined that it took this kind of toll on her. She was used to her sister being in control and confident about her life path. But, then again, Lizzie had no idea of the other problems Casey now faced in her life. Lizzie stroked Casey's hair without a word as Casey continued cry with her head in her hands.

With tears streaming down her face, Casey turned to Lizzie and said, "I just don't want to lose Max. Sometimes I feel like he's all I've got."

Lizzie looked sadly at her sister and said soothingly, "Casey, you have so many friends and family that care about you. You don't have to marry Max if you don't want to."

Casey rose quickly from her hunched position at the sound of Lizzie's last words. She wiped the tears from her face and pulled herself together. Then, she looked at Lizzie straight in the eyes and said sternly, "Lizzie, I do want to marry Max. I am going to marry him. And I don't want you to mention a word of this to anyone, okay?"

Lizzie stared at Casey with mixed feelings of worry and surprise crowding her mind. She nodded slowly in agreement and wondered how Casey had lost control of her own life. Casey smiled sorrowfully, hugged Lizzie, and scurried into the bathroom. Lizzie remained at the coffee table, sipped her orange juice and thought to herself, _'I need to talk to Ed about this.'_

**_THREE WEEKS LATER_**

_'What is that awful smell?' _Derek sniffed his armpit. _'Oh, it's me. Whatever.'_

Derek did not care that he smelled awful. There was no one there to bother him about it. He was alone, as usual. He got the occasional text from Sam asking him to hang out, but he ignored them. Derek didn't want to talk to anyone that reminded him of everything he lost. He flipped through the channels and caught a glimpse of a football game. Suddenly, he didn't even want to watch television anymore. He switched it off and sat in the dark, swimming in his own misery.

In the darkness Derek saw his phone buzz and light up, this time it was a text from Sally.

It read, "Hey, D. I miss u. I talked to Sam. Please call me. I need to talk to you."

Derek sighed as he read the message. _'Is Sam trying to ruin my life? First Casey, now Sally.'_

He closed his eyes and flashes of memories raced through his mind. First, he saw Casey's face when she found out that Sam had lied to her and why he was lying. Then, he saw Casey's grin as she flashed her engagement ring at her guests. And lastly, he saw the sadness in Sally's eyes when she realized how much he loved Casey.

Derek felt the tears stream down his face as he sat in solitude. He huffed as he felt the anger build up inside of him and in a moment of frustration, launched the phone at the wall and then, he heard it fall to pieces on the ground.

Casey felt content lying in bed with her head nestled on Max's bare chest. She looked up at Max with a grin on her face and he greeted it with a kiss. Casey kissed him back and as it started to deepen, Max reached for the bottom of her shirt to pull it upwards. Casey immediately broke the kiss and said quickly, "Max, you know I'm not ready for that yet."

Max threw his head back on to the pillows and rolled his eyes, "Case, we are engaged. We love each other."

Casey folded her arms across her chest and said, "All the more reason to wait for our wedding day."

Max grumbled and buried his head in the pillows. Casey was about to ask him what he said when her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller and gasped in surprise when she saw that it was Sam.

She hadn't heard from Sam in weeks and to be honest, she missed him. She told Max that she would be right back to finish their conversation after she took the call to which he waved goodbye to her with his head still buried in the pillows . She headed into the living room for privacy and settled herself on the couch.

"Hello, Sam," she whispered.

"Hi, Casey. Why are you whispering?" Sam asked.

Casey asked herself the same question and replied, "I didn't realize I was."

Then, she took on a more condescending tone and asked, "Why are you calling me?"

Sam sighed and said, "Casey, I think something is wrong with Derek. I haven't heard from him since your engagement dinner. I even tried to get Sally to talk to him, but he wouldn't answer her messages either."

Casey was instantly worried, but her suspicion got the best of her and she asked, "Why don't you go over to his apartment?"

"I did, but he wouldn't let me in. I don't know what's going on with him. I don't even think he took his finals," Sam replied.

Casey's eyes widened with surprise. She knew that Derek wouldn't miss his finals for anything because he really did care about his classes and getting his degree in Film.

"Wow, that is really bad. But, if he won't talk to you or Sally, what makes you think he'll let me in?" she asked with concern.

"You have a key to his apartment, don't you?" Sam said, enlightening her.

Casey smiled and said, "Yes, I do! I'll go over there now and try my best to figure out what's going on. Thank you for being such a good friend, Sam. I have really missed you."

"I miss you too, Casey. Call me after to you speak to him," Sam said.

"I will," Casey said before she ended the call.

Just as she was about to tell Max that she was heading out for a while, she saw him stroll out of the room.

Casey ran over to him and put her arms around his neck.

"Do you mind if I run out for a little while?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

Max looked away from her and said under his breath, "Yeah, whatever."

Casey pulled her arms off of him instantly and asked angrily, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Max chose not to acknowledge her and walked into the kitchen.

Casey stared at him in disbelief and yelled, "Max!"

Max turned around and said, "What do you want me to say, Casey? You do whatever you want to do anyway. Do you even care about what I want or what I need?"

Casey literally could not believe what Max was saying, she felt as if she was in a nightmare. Casey asked in astonishment, "What are you even talking about?" But then she looked at her watch and since didn't want to go to Derek's too late, she said, "Listen, we can talk when I get back. I have to go."

As she hurried out the door, she heard him say, "Of course you do."

It was already after 9 pm when Casey arrived at Derek's apartment. When she opened the door, she could see absolutely nothing. The apartment was in complete darkness. She walked carefully through the apartment to the light switch and she used her leg and her arms out in front of her to make sure there was nothing to bump into. She flipped on the lights and walked over to the living room, only to find a horrible surprise. Derek was on the floor passed out with garbage all around him. And the stench was unbearable. She looked around and saw empty frozen dinners, pizza boxes, beer bottles and dirty napkins everywhere. But, the dirtiest thing of all was Derek himself.

She nudged him with her foot and said, "Derrrrek." But, there was no response.

She kneeled down in front of him and shook his body and yelled, "Derek. Derek! You need to wake up!"

This time he opened his eyes slightly and blinked them a few times before he opened them fully. He yawned loudly and a waft of his bad breath floated into Casey's face causing her to cough and say, "Gross, Derek!"

Derek looked at Casey in surprise and asked, "What are you doing here, Casey?"

"I came to make sure you were okay. Sam called me. He's really worried about you," Casey said trying to appeal to Derek's sensitive side.

Derek started to get up and said, "Sure he is. I thought you two weren't talking."

Casey rose as well and said, "Well, we made up. But, the real concern is what is going on with you?"

Derek smirked at Casey and said, "Why do you care? Don't you have a wedding to plan?"

Casey felt immediately annoyed and replied, "I should have known helping you would be a bad idea."

"So, what are you doing here? Why are you pretending to care about me? Just run back to your husband," Derek yelled angrily.

Casey fought the tears rising in her eyes and said, "Derek, would you just stop? I don't want to fight with you."

Derek looked at her, saw that her eyes were glazed and realized that he had hurt her. He shook his head and said, "Fine. I'm sorry. Let me just take a shower and we can talk, I guess."

Casey nodded and said, "Okay. I'll help you with the living room."

About twenty minutes later, Derek came out of the bathroom feeling fresher than he had in weeks. He walked into his living room and was stunned by its spotlessness.

"Wow, you really are a neat freak," Derek said with his signature smirk.

Casey rolled her eyes and said, "Let's get to it, Derek. What is going on with you?"

Derek narrowed his eyes at her and asked pointedly, "Why do you care?"

"Because I do. And my impending marriage doesn't change that," Casey said softly.

She noticed Derek intensely staring at her and for some reason, it made her nervous. She gathered herself and asked again, "Derek, why did you hole yourself up in this apartment? You missed your finals and you're not responding to the people that care about you."

Derek rolled his eyes, grunted and said, "Casey, no one really cares about me. Sam is doing his own thing, Sally went back to her boyfriend, and I'm alone as it should be. I mean you wanted me to stay out of your life and I did. It ended up working out great for you, right? You're getting married, for heaven's sake. So, I figured if I stayed out of every one else's life, they would be happier too, " Derek said slapping a huge fake smile on his face.

Casey smiled back sadly and put her hand over Derek's causing him to gasp as the electric waves flowed through his body. She looked into his eyes and said, "I know it seems like we all are moving on, but not without you. We want you to be a part of our lives. I want you to be a part of my life."

Derek looked up at her and said, "I thought you hated me."

Casey sighed and said, "Of course I don't hate you, Derek! I really do care about you. And, I know you don't want to fail this semester and miss the end of the hockey season. You are better than all of this depression crap, Derek. You are Derek Venturi, you can do anything you want."

Derek's eyes met hers and he said softly, "Not anything." They gazed into each other's eyes, his deep browns locked on her clear blues.

She broke the gaze, feeling slightly out of breath like there was not enough air in the room. She tried to get up, but she realized that Derek still had her hand in his. He pulled her down next to him on the couch and cautiously reached out his hand to tuck a few loose strands of her long, soft brown hair behind her ear. Feeling more confident since she let him do that, he traced his fingers down her jaw line and settled three fingers under her chin.

Casey couldn't breathe and she felt motionless. Or rather, she didn't want to move. She felt an excitement within her that she had never felt with any other guy. But, nothing prepared her for the electric fire that coursed through her veins when he put his lips on hers. He kissed her long and slow. Suddenly, she regained her power to move and her hands flew into his hair as she sank deeper and deeper into the kiss. Her heart beat so fast that she felt as though it would jump right out of her chest.

Derek could feel Casey's heart and it felt as though their hearts were in a race of which one could beat the fastest. Derek's hands wandered from Casey's neck down to the edge of the top of her pants and he let them play there for a while. Then, they made their way under her shirt and he felt her body tense up as she broke the kiss.

Derek's hands were a wakeup call for Casey. She was instantly taken back to just a few hours earlier when she was with Max, her fiancé.

Casey started to straighten up herself and then, turned to Derek who was surprised by the sudden halt.

"What the hell was that?" Casey asked in both astonishment and confusion.

Derek stared at her with blank eyes, shrugged and lied, "I don't know."

Casey put her head on one hand, shook her head and said, "I have to go."

Then, she gathered her things and before he knew it, she was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Casey had finally hit her breaking point. After her little _altercation _with Derek, she realized that she had totally lost control of her life and it had driven her crazy. She let her mind drift back to her teenage years where she used to plan out every detail of her life and thought decisions out carefully before jumping into anything. Now, here she was practically nose-diving in to monumental life changes on complete impulse and she felt like the box that she created for herself was rapidly closing in on her.

At this point, she knew her best bet to avoid Derek at all costs, she didn't want to talk to him or see him or even think about him. She had to focus on Max and figure out why he was so upset with her. She was having a relaxing soak in her tub when she heard someone come into her apartment. She quickly got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. She walked into the living room and called, "Who is in here?"

Her answer came in the form of three pairs of wide eyes staring at her in her state of undress. Max, Sam and Derek were all sitting in her living room.

Casey scurried into her bedroom, threw her face into a pillow and screamed. Everything was so wrong. She quickly pulled on her clothes and greeted the men in the living room with a smile.

"So, what are the plans for tonight guys?" she asked sweetly.

Max replied nonchalantly, "I invited the guys over to play some videogames. You don't mind, right Case?"

Casey sighed and said, "Why would I mind?"

She looked up and started to ask if they wanted drinks, but just as she started to speak her eyes met Derek's and she quickly diverted them away from him, so he wouldn't hold her stare. Then, she raced into the kitchen to grab some snacks and beverages. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't notice that Sam was in the kitchen with her until he touched her shoulder. Casey jumped when she felt his fingers against her skin.

Sam chuckled and apologized, "Sorry, Case. I didn't mean to scare you. I hope it doesn't feel too awkward for you in there."

Casey's eyes widened and she thought, _'Oh my God! Does he know what happened between me and Derek?'_

Casey decided to play it cool by asking casually, "Why would it be awkward?"

Sam furrowed his brows and replied, "Well, I know we never fully made up."

Casey let out a sigh of relief as Sam continued, "I just want to let you know how truly sorry I am about everything, Case. I would have apologized to you weeks ago, but you surprised us with the engagement and I didn't want to complicate things for you by bringing up an old argument. And to tell you the truth, I didn't feel worthy of your friendship after I betrayed you. You didn't deserve it."

The tears glimmered in Casey's eyes because Sam's words really touched her heart. She threw her arms around him and whispered, "I forgive you. I totally, completely, one-hundred percent forgive you."

Sam squeezed her tighter and said, "You don't know how happy I am to here you say that."

The two of them were so caught up in their moment that they didn't realize they had an audience. Derek cleared his throat with an, "Ahem!"

Casey and Sam flew apart from their tight hug and looked down at the ground. Derek simply smirked, circled around Casey and said, "Oh, there are the drinks! Don't worry you guys can finish up your little hug fest while I bring these into the living room."

Casey looked at Sam and saw that he was just as embarrassed as she was, especially since they were caught by Derek. Casey laughed, gave Sam a gentle elbow and said, "Maybe we should get back to the living room." Sam grinned and nodded.

Casey sat on an armchair with an open book in her lap that she really wasn't paying much attention to as the guys continued to play videogames. She was lost in her thoughts and wondered if this was how life would be when she married Max. Casey was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts by Max's voice asking her to get them some more tortilla chips.

Casey nodded and headed back into the kitchen. Max was really starting to get under her skin, but she didn't want to fight with him in front of their guests. Casey was swearing under her breath when she heard someone else come into the kitchen.

"Whoa, I hope those words weren't meant for me," Derek said throwing his hands up in mock fear.

Casey looked down and said, "Don't worry, they weren't. But, I have another set in mind for you. What are you doing here?"

Derek was momentarily surprised by her sharp words and replied, "Max invited me over and I thought you already knew. Plus, I wanted to tell you that I think we should talk."

Casey narrowed her eyes at Derek and whispered sternly, "I don't think we should talk because there is nothing to talk about. We made a stupid mistake. You are my stepbrother and I have enough to worry about right now. Not to mention, a wedding to plan and finals to finish."

Derek stood there and watched as Casey shredded all of his hopes of being with her into a million pieces. She didn't even act like the Casey he knew anymore, she looked like a girl that was sinking without life jacket and she wouldn't let him save her. When she was finished speaking, she walked around him and back into the living room while he remained there to contemplate her words.

The next day, Casey was studying for her last final before the end of the year when she got a call from Emily.

"Hey, Em. It's been a while. How are you?"

"How am I? Why did I have to hear from Dimi that you are getting married?"

"Oh my God, Em! I am so sorry! I completely forgot to call you with all of the craziness that has been going on," Casey said frantically.

" It's okay, Case. I know how it must be for you. So, give me the details," Emily said trying to calm her down.

Casey sighed and replied, "Everything has been good. Trying to finish up these finals before I get into wedding planning mode though."

Emily agreed and said, "Yeah, school comes first. But, there is one major thing I have to ask. I am your maid of honor, right?"

Casey laughed and said, "Of course you are, Em. I can't think of a better person for the job. When are you going back to London?"

"Around August. I have to tie up loose ends at my job before I can really enjoy summer," Emily said.

Casey nodded and said, "Well, I'll try to schedule the wedding for late August so, you can make it. But, right now I really need to get back to studying."

"Okay, Casey. I'll talk to you soon!"

Just as Casey was getting her mind refocused on her work, there was a knock on the front door. She got up from the couch and thought to herself, _'One after the other.'_

She opened the door and welcomed Sam into the apartment.

"Hey, Casey! I had to come over to ask you when was the last time you spoke to Derek?"

Casey's confusion and curiosity were peaked and she replied, "I don't know. Yesterday, when you guys were playing videogames. Sam, what is this about?"

"Whatever you said to Derek when you went to see him really helped. He just played an amazing hockey game and there were scouts there. He got scouted for the Maple Leafs and he's leaving for summer training tonight."

Casey was completely shocked. She wanted a little space from Derek after what happened between them but not this much. Her heart raced in her chest but she managed to ask, "What about school? The semester isn't even over yet. Has he left already?"

Sam shrugged and said, "I don't think Derek cares about the rest of the school year. Not with his hockey dreams coming true. And I think his flight is in three hours."

Casey couldn't breathe. _'How could this be happening? I can't take it.' _She raced to her room, grabbed her car keys and said, "I'm going to his apartment right now. I have to talk to him."

Sam looked astonished by Casey's erratic behavior and said, "I don't know if he's home, Case."

Casey looked at him with bewildered eyes and said, "I don't care."

Casey sped over to Derek's apartment, feeling grateful that she didn't run into any police officers on her way over. When she opened his apartment door she realized that Sam was right, Derek wasn't home.

_'He's probably out celebrating,' _she thought to herself. She walked around Derek's apartment and decided that a glass of water would help her calm down. She went into the kitchen and noticed a piece of crumpled paper on the floor. She opened it up and quickly realized that it was a letter from Sally to Derek on the night that she left. The tears spilled from Casey's eyes as she read the note over and over. She wondered if the words were true. Her body crumbled to the floor as she cried with her head on her knees and the wrinkled note held tightly in her hand.

About a half an hour later, she heard the sound of a key unlocking the front door. She lifted her head and Derek's eyes met hers as he walked in.

He was overcome by a moment of surprise and when he recovered he asked with concern, "Casey, why are you crying?"

"Is this true?" Casey sniffled as she handed Derek the note.

Derek let out a long breath and said, "Would it matter?"

Casey shook her head and said, "Derek, I'm done with the stupid games. Maybe, it's better that we get everything out in the open. Was Sally right? Do you love me?"

He sat down next to her on the kitchen floor and stared at Casey intensely as he pondered on what his next move should be. Then, he broke their stare, looked at the floor and said, "Yes. Yes, it's true. Casey, I don't know how it's possible but, I am in love with you."

Casey was completely taken aback by Derek's confession. The way they were sitting on the floor, talking to each other openly, reminded her of the time they were both stuck in the bathroom and even though back then he said that he was lying about the things he said, she knew he was telling the truth. And now, as she looked at him, she knew once again that he was being honest and it killed her. She covered her face with her hands, unable to hold back the tears that she tried to fight. When she regained her composure, she shook her head and said, " Nothing made sense but now I finally understand everything. That's why you got so upset when I told you to stay out of my life, why you were angry at my engagement party, why you kissed me the other night. You love me."

Derek reached out, took her hand in his and said, "Yeah, I do. But, what about you?" He searched her face for an answer, but her expression was unreadable.

"Derek, I can't. We can't. Like I said, you are my stepbrother and I am getting married," Casey whispered with tears still streaming down her face.

Derek was starting to get angry and her grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "Casey! Forget that I am your stepbrother, we are not related at all. And you need to forget about everyone else. Focus on you and me. I don't even think you want to marry Max. I think your whole engagement is just an excuse. I know you better than anyone, Case. And this is not you, you would never settle. If you really loved Max, you would have never let our kiss get that far or even let it happen at all."

Casey listened to Derek in silence until he was finished and then, she said coldly, "It doesn't matter, Derek. How can we be together? Am I just supposed to tell Max that I am calling off my engagement so, I can get naked with my stepbrother? And let's say we do get together, what do we tell our family or Sam or Emily, your ex-girlfriend and my best friend?"

Derek just sat there and listened to her ask questions that he had no answers to. Casey put a finger under his chin and turned his head to face hers, "It won't work, Derek. We have to let these feelings go and we have to move on."

In a moment of impulse, Derek grabbed the back of Casey's neck and kissed her deeply. Then he whispered into her ear, "We have tonight, Casey. Can you stay with me tonight? If you care about me at all, just stay."

Casey looked back into Derek's eyes and saw their warmth. This was a side of Derek that she never knew and no part of her wanted to let go. She responded to his question with a grin before kissed him passionately. She poured all of her emotions into that kiss, her happiness, her grief, her anger and her love.

Derek couldn't believe that Casey wanted to stay with him and even though it was for just one night, it was more than he could ever wish for. As he continued to kiss her, he laid back on to the ground and pulled her on top of him. She broke the kiss and pulled off her shirt revealing her purple bra. Derek excitedly followed her lead and removed his shirt as well. Sooner rather than later, they were both fully nude on Derek's kitchen floor.

Casey could not believe that she was taking this step with Derek, but she felt completely comfortable. Derek made her feel alive like her heart was connected to his and when their bodies were finally connected, she felt like there was nothing in the world that was more right than them together as one. He ignited a fire inside of her that set every nerve on edge and happiness flowed through her entire body with content and satisfaction. She wished that she could stay with him forever, but deep in her heart she knew that it was impossible which made this time with him all the more special.

Derek felt as though Casey had given him the greatest gift. He knew what she gave up for him that night the moment he entered her and she cried out in pain. In that moment, he knew that she loved him whether she admitted it or not and because of that, he would do anything for her. Even if it meant that he had to let go after this night and move on with his life.

In the end, Casey climbed off of Derek and rested her head on his chest. He rose his head, kissed her and said, "I never thought I would be so happy that you were a keener, Case. You were perfect."

Casey laughed and said, "You weren't so bad yourself." They both laughed and Derek checked his watch.

"Oh shit, Casey! I have to pack, my flight leaves in two hours and I need to get to the airport one hour before takeoff to make it in time for check in!"

They got dressed hurriedly and Casey asked, "Do you want me to help you pack?"

Derek shook his head and replied with his signature smirk, "If you and I go into my bedroom, I don't think I'll ever leave."

Casey smiled, kissed him hard and said, "Call me when you can."

She picked up her things, opened the front door, turned back to blow him one last kiss, and she left closing the door slowly behind her.

His heart sank as he realized that he had to sever all ties with the one person he cared about the most without looking back. Except now he had the memories of how it felt to make love to her which he knew would be impossible to forget.

Casey drove home and ran herself a hot bath. It was the only way that she could try to relax since her heart was begging her to drag Derek back home with her and never let him go. But, her mind knew that it would never work and she would end up forcing him to give up an amazing opportunity. She cared about him way too much to ever let that happen.

When she was finished soaking, she climbed out of her bath and put on her softest robe. She had settled in to her bed with one of her favorite books when she heard someone knocking on the door. Her heart screamed at her, _'Answer it! It's him. Derek came back to you!' _

She flew to the door and flung it open, only to be greeted with disappointment. Max stumbled through the door and threw his arms around her. She sniffed him and smelled the alcohol on his breath.

Casey put one of his arms around her neck, so she could try to get him into the living room where he could lie down. But, Max grabbed her by the waist and leaned down to kiss her. She pushed him away and yelled, "Max, get off of me! You smell disgusting."

Max let go of her and yelled back, "Casey, you are my fiancé and you are going to be my wife. Tonight, I want you. All of you."

He started heading towards her and she had never been so afraid in her life. She backed away from him and was startled when her back hit the wall. Max stood in front of her and kissed her neck as he tried to untie her robe. She tried to push him away from her, but he wouldn't budge.

She screamed, "Max, stop! I don't want to do this. What is wrong with you?" Then, she gathered all her strength and slapped him.

Max was so stunned that he stopped what he was doing and backed away from her. Casey was shocked as well by everything that had just happened to her. She fixed her robe and screamed, "This engagement is over. I never want to see you again."

Max looked as if he was just waking up from a dream, he narrowed his eyebrows and said condescendingly, "Casey, why am I not surprised? You think I haven't noticed how much you've changed since the day I put that ring on your finger. How could you want to marry me? You don't even want to fuck me. You're nothing but a tease."

The anger boiled inside of Casey and she yelled, "I can't believe what an asshole you are. Sex was all this was really about, wasn't it? You pretended to be the perfect gentlemen so, I would think that you had changed and just give it up. But, you're still the ignorant high school boy that I dumped. And, this ring means nothing to me now that I've seen what kind of person you really are."

She pulled the ring off of her finger, threw it at his face and said icily, "Now get the fuck out of my house. And every time you think that you can come over here and work things out with me, remember that you attacked me and that if I _ever_ see your face again, I will not hesitate to press charges."

Max had a stormy look in his eyes as he walked passed her, out of her apartment and out of her life. As Casey locked the door behind him, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. She was finally free.

A/N: Hope you guys liked that chapter. I loved writing it and this story has taken on a life of its own. Please let me know about any questions or comments that you have because I truly love feedback. I want to know what you think and I will answer any questions. Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was 2:30 AM and Casey could not sleep. It had been two weeks since Derek left and both the pain she felt from missing him and the flashbacks of Max's attack haunted her. She was frightened by every noise out of fear that Max hiding behind a door, waiting to jump out and take what she wouldn't give him. There was only one solution to this problem and she detested it.

She picked up her cell phone and dialed Derek's number. But like every time she called him before, the call went straight to voicemail. She listened to the voice message until the beep came on and she quickly hung up. She just wanted to hear his voice, but now that she did hear it, the pain ran a little deeper. The next person she called was someone who always answered, no matter when she called.

"Hey, Casey. Can't sleep again, huh?" Sam asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I know this is getting really annoying, but could you come over again tonight? I just feel so much safer with you around," Casey said feeling slightly embarrassed.

Without a shred of hesitation, Sam answered, "I'll be there in ten minutes."

Casey smiled and said, "Thank you, Sam."

It was moments like these that Casey was grateful that she had people like Sam in her life who would always be there for her no matter what and with no strings attached He was just a person who genuinely cared about her.

She slowly crawled out of bed and headed to the kitchen so she could make some tea. By the time the water had finished boiling, she heard a knock on the door which caused her to jump. She walked over to the door, looked through the peephole and flung open the door before she threw her arms around Sam.

"Thanks again for coming Sam. I know this has been the fourth day in a row, but I get practically no sleep when I'm alone and you're the only person I feel comfortable with," she said sadly.

"It's really okay, Case. I like that you feel better if I'm around," Sam said with a smile.

Casey laughed and said, "I'm glad my fear boosts your ego."

Casey made hot cocoa for Sam like she had done the night before and they both sat in the living room sipping their hot drinks.

"So, the Max nightmares are still bothering you?" Sam asked with concern.

Casey nodded and said, "It's like every time I close my eyes, I see him throwing himself at me. Trying to touch me and kiss me with his awful breath. It's so revolting that it makes my stomach hurt."

Sam was horrified by Casey's experience and angry that there was nothing he could do to take the memories away. When he spoke, he said with fury, "If he ever comes near you again, I will kill him."

Casey glanced over at Sam and said softly, "He's not even worth it."

Sam stared into his hot chocolate and asked passively, "Why did you want to marry him anyway?"

Casey was shocked by the question and answered quickly, "Well, I thought he really loved me. He was perfect. He made every date wonderful and I thought that he would make a great husband. You know? Someone who could take care of me and we could live a happy, peaceful little life."

Sam nodded thoughtfully and remained silent even when she had finished speaking. After Casey had given the question more thought as well, she added, "I guess that's where I went wrong. I should realized that things were too perfect between me and Max. Our relationship became exactly the way it was in high school, with us being wonderful in the beginning and me trying to be someone I wasn't just to try and keep up with him. Then the minute I want to be myself or do something that's important to me, he gets angry and acts like a complete jerk."

Sam reached out and wiped away a tear that trickled down her cheek unconsciously because she had been so consumed by her revelations about Max. He pulled her closer to him on the couch and wrapped his arms around her with her head on his chest.

A few minutes later, she turned to look up at him and said, "You know, I stayed with him even though I didn't want to marry him mostly because I didn't want to hurt him. I kept telling myself that if I hurt this guy twice that I would regret it for my entire life and now, I just feel like the idiot who never learned."

Sam shook his head, hugged her tighter and said, "Casey, don't say that. That guy will never be good enough for you. Actually, I don't think any guy will ever be good enough for you."

Casey laughed and said, "Thanks, Sam. You really are a great friend."

After that, they sat in silence with Sam's protective arms holding Casey close to him. Within the hour, he realized that she had fallen asleep on his chest. He gently picked her up and carried her to bed. Then, he walked back into the living room and made himself comfortable on the couch as he had done for the past four nights.

In the morning, Sam woke up to the wonderful scent of pancakes, eggs, and fresh coffee. He walked over to the kitchen and saw Casey smiling as she flipped a pancake.

"Good morning, Sam. Would you like to have some thank you pancakes?" she said happily.

"Thank you pancakes?" Sam asked as he ran a hand through his messy blond hair.

"Yup. They are pancakes that say, 'Thank you for staying with me for the past five nights because my creepy ex-fiancé gives me night terrors!' I made them for you," she said humorously.

"Aw, thanks Case. They look great! Let me just get cleaned up first," he said as he made his way to the bathroom.

Casey nodded and sat down to have her morning coffee and a bowl of cereal. When Sam came back out, she smiled and asked, "So, what are your plans for today?"

"I have to get to work in about two hours, but we can grab dinner and then come back here when I get off," he replied.

Casey considered his idea for a while, then she said, "Sure. It sounds good to me."

Sam polished off his breakfast in ten minutes and started to get ready to leave the apartment so, he could return to his apartment before going to work. Right as he was about to open the front door, Casey called out, "Sam, wait!"

Sam turned around in a flash and said sounding alarmed, "What happened?"

Casey smiled nervously and said with a hint of humor, "Sorry I scared you. But, have you heard from Derek?"

Sam furrowed his brows and said, "Derek can't call or text or anything like that. He's not allowed to. The Maple Leafs training is very strict and they take away cell phones at the start of the program. The new members basically have to prove that they are dedicated to the team by being completely focused on training for the two months that they are there."

Casey was speechless, she couldn't believe that she thought Derek was ignoring her the whole time. She was so shocked that she didn't notice when Sam gave her a peck on the cheek goodbye and walked out of the apartment.

Casey felt completely bored after Sam left. She had nothing to do since school had closed weeks ago and she didn't have a job. She decided to call Emily who still didn't know that the engagement was off.

"Hey, Casey! How are you? How are the wedding plans going?" Emily asked excitedly.

"Well, that's what I called about. I'm no longer engaged," Casey said bitterly.

Emily gasped and asked, "What happened?"

Casey sighed and told her everything that happened with Max which left Emily at a loss for words.

When Emily regained the ability to speak, she said, "Wow! That's unbelievable. I would have never expected Max Miller to treat you that way, especially after all of the times you called me to tell me about how wonderful he was. But, he is scum and you don't deserve to be treated like that. I am so proud of the way you threw him out your apartment like the trash he was."

Casey smiled and said, "Thanks, Em. I've been trying to hang in there. I don't think I would even be this functional if it weren't for Sam."

At the mention of Sam's name, Emily's curiosity peaked and she asked suggestively, "What has Sam done to make you more _functional_?"

Casey laughed and said, "Nothing like what you're thinking of. But, he has been staying at the apartment all week because I don't feel safe being alone."

All of the humor vanished from Emily's tone and she said, "It must be horrible, Case. I wish I could be there with you."

"Aw, Em. I wish you could be here too, but I know we will see each other soon, right?" Casey asked hopefully.

"Yes, you will. As soon as I get the okay from my job, I am taking the next flight out just to see you," Emily promised.

"Great! So, I'll talk to you soon!" Casey said happily.

"Okay, bye Case." Emily said before she ended the call.

Casey lounged around the house until 7:00 PM when Sam finally got off from work and she met him at the campus diner. He was already waiting for her when she arrived and greeted her with a warm hug.

They ordered their usual dinners, a grilled cheese with ketchup for Casey and a toasted ham and cheese for Sam. While they waited for their meals, Sam broke the silence by asking, "What have you been up to all day?"

Casey shrugged and said, "The same thing I do every day, hang out around the apartment."

Then, she remembered her conversation with Emily and said, "I talked to Em today too."

Sam saw the waitress bringing their food and when it arrived he said, "Really? How is she?"

"She's okay. I told her about Max and engagement. Naturally she was upset, but I convinced her that I would be okay. She told me that she's planning to come visit soon," Casey said.

Sam smiled and said, "That would be nice. I haven't seen her in a long time. And I think you need a change of scenery."

Casey glanced at over at Sam and asked with suspicion, "What do you mean by that?"

"I think that it would do you some good to go and see your family back in London," he suggested.

"Sam, I don't think I'm ready to tell everyone what happened," Casey replied worriedly.

"Listen, Case. Your family is going to start asking about your wedding plans and how long do you plan on avoiding them? It's already almost the middle of July and you need to have some fun, not sit around the apartment all day."

When he noticed that she was still reluctant, he added, "I'll even go with you."

"Really? You would come with me? Fine. I'll go, but I want you to be there when I talk to my parents," she said sternly. She thought for a moment and then asked, "But what about your job?"

"I'm just a clothes folder, Case. I think they can handle things without me. We can leave tomorrow," Sam said definitively.

Casey took a bite of her grilled cheese, smiled and said, "I can't wait."

The next day, when Sam pulled his car up to the front of the McDonald-Venturi house, Casey was overwhelmed by the nostalgia she felt. So many memories stemmed from that house and the unique family that she was a part of. Casey sighed as she reminisced about the tender moments she shared with her other siblings, the parties/weddings they had, and of course, her fights with Derek. All of that seemed so distant to her now and the reality of her current relationships were beginning to hit her with full force.

After a few minutes, she looked over at Sam who seemed to be lost in his thoughts as well and she pulled him out of them when she asked, "Are you ready, Sam?"

Sam turned to her and said, "Yes, but more importantly, are you ready?"

"Well on the four hour trip up here, I had a lot of time to think and I decided that I am ready. It doesn't make sense to hide a truth that's going to come out anyway," she said trying to sound confident.

With that she stepped out of the car, walked over to the front door, and rang the door bell. After a few moments the door swung open and Casey rested her eyes upon the face of her smiling mother. Nora grinning widely, took Casey into her arms and squeezed her as if letting her go would cause her to suddenly disappear.

"Casey darling, what a surprise! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she said excitedly while still gripping Casey.

"Mom, I am so happy to see you too, but could you just loosen up a bit?" Casey asked.

Nora laughed and said, "Oh sorry, Case. I just haven't seen you in such a long time. I really missed you."

As Nora was speaking she realized that Sam was standing behind Casey and said, "Sam, you're here too! This is great! Wait a second, is Derek here too?" She asked as she tried to peer outside through Casey and Sam.

"It's nice to see you too, Mrs. McDonald and no, Derek's not with us. He's training for hockey this summer," Sam replied.

Nora lowered her head in disappointment and said, "That's too bad. But, I'm glad you two are here. Georrrgeee!"

George ran quickly from the kitchen to the front door at the sound of his name and gave Casey a huge hug.

"Hi, Case! It's so good to see you," he said. Then, he caught a glimpse of Sam and extended his hand for a handshake and said, "You too, Sam."

Sam shook his hand and said, "Same here, Mr. Venturi."

They all shuffled into the living room and settled on the couch. Nora smiled at Casey and said sweetly, "Well Case, I think we all know why you're here and I just want to let you know that I would love to help you plan the wedding, but you have to promise me that you will finish school and not rush into anything you're not ready for and-"

Casey could see where her mom's little monologue was headed and decided to interrupt before it was too late, "Mom, I know this may be hard for you to hear, but I want to promise me that you will listen to everything I have to say before you react, okay?"

Nora looked suspiciously at Casey, glanced at George and then, nodded at Casey.

With permission, Casey confessed, "I am no longer engaged to Max." This statement brought a short gasp from both Nora and George.

She looked at them both nervously, looked at Sam and continued, "I called off the engagement because he was drinking one night and when he came home, he tried to attack me. I was really afraid, but Sam helped me through it and I feel more free than I have ever felt in a long time."

Nora's hand covered her mouth in shock as tears brimmed her eyes, George put his arm around her and said angrily, "Man, I really wish I could-"

This time George was interrupted by the sound of Lizzie and Edwin coming into the house. Lizzie's eyes glanced toward the living room and she did a double take when she noticed her sister and her friend sitting there.

"Casey! Sam!" she squealed in delight. "How are you guys?"

Lizzie ran into her sister's open arms and Edwin walked over and shook Sam's hand. He looked at everyone and his mood switched from light-hearted to confused in seconds.

He asked quickly, "Hold a second, what's wrong? Why is Nora upset?"

Lizzie looked at her mom and was now confused as well. Casey looked worriedly at Nora and then said, "My engagement is off because... Max attacked me."

Lizzie and Edwin were now just as upset as Nora and Edwin gritted through his teeth, "I will find him and I will kill him."

Casey glanced sadly back at Sam, took Edwin and Lizzie's hands in hers and said, "Just let it go like I have. He's not important or worth it. I am happier without him and I'm here because I want to enjoy the rest of my summer with my family."

Casey's words made her family smile and George announced that he would take everyone to Smelly Nelly's for dinner. When they were getting ready to leave, Sam pulled Casey aside and whispered, "I think I should leave now and see my own family."

Casey looked at the floor and said sadly, "Okay, if that's what you really want to do."

Sam put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Don't worry. I'll come back tomorrow and pick you up. We can do something fun."

Casey perked up and said, "Like go to a museum."

Sam diverted his eyes and said, "Yeahhh, sureee. Something like that."

He gave her a quick hug and left. Casey watched him as he walked back to his car and drove away.

Casey turned around and noticed Nora's eyes on her. Nora smiled at Casey and said, "Sam seems like he really cares about you."

Casey narrowed her eyes, folded her arms and said, "Yes, he does and I know where you're going with this, Mom. We are just friends."

Nora laughed and said, "Whatever you say, Case."

George, Edwin and Lizzie started to head out of the house and Nora and Casey followed behind them.

When they arrived at Smelly Nelly's, Casey's eyes searched for any changes and was relieved that she could find none. _'At least there is one thing that hasn't changed,'_ she thought to herself.

She took her seat with the rest of her family and as she looked around the table at her Mom, George, Edwin and Lizzie, she was instantly transported back to their old family dinners, except it could never be completely the same without Derek. The thought of him pained her heart and she felt a wave of sadness wash over her because she knew it could be months before she saw him again.

She was jerked out of her memories at the sound of Nora's voice calling her name.

"I'm sorry, Mom. What were you saying?, " she said as she turned to her mother.

"Are you ready to order, honey?," Nora asked as she glanced over at the impatient waiter.

"Yes, I'll just have a soy burger and an iced tea with a slice of lemon," Casey replied.

The rest of the family placed their orders and they sat around the table in somewhat of an awkward silence until Casey broke it when she asked, "Mom, I know I'm a little late with this question, but where are Marti and Simon?"

George laughed and said, "Oh, we completely forget to tell you since you delivered your sad news to us as soon as you arrived. Marti and Simon went over to the States to visit my mother. She doesn't get to see them often and she planned an entire summer adventure for them, so they should be having a great time."

Casey nodded and said, "That's really great, but I would have loved to see Simon. I'm sure he's gotten so big."

Nora grinned widely and said, "Oh Casey, you would love him. He's the sweetest boy and he'll be turning three in a few days."

George chuckled, turned to Casey and said, "I don't think you would love him too much, he looks like a mini-Derek and he's got a mischievous side to him as well."

Casey laughed nervously and said softly, "I'm sure I would learn to love him."

George smiled and said, "Speaking of Derek, how is he? Is he still up to his old tricks? We haven't heard from him all summer."

Casey tried to hide her sadness and said lightheartedly, "Oh Derek has entirely new tricks, George. He's has contacted us because he's not allowed to have a phone during the Maple Leafs training. He has to be completely dedicated to the team."

Casey could see that each one of her family members were wonderstruck by her words. When Edwin recovered from his shock he said, "Derek is truly incredible."

Casey smiled and thought of the way Derek touched her, kissed her and told her he loved her. Then, she nodded slowly and thought to herself, _'Yes, he is.'_

In the next couple of weeks, Casey spent most of her time with Edwin, Lizzie and Sam. They visited museums, went to the movies, and relaxed at the beach. Casey enjoyed all of the time she was with them, but through it all she felt as though something was missing. Because of this, she had the agonizing feeling that she could never truly be happy which only deepened her grief. She tried to hide her feelings as much as she could, but Sam noticed them one night when they were having dinner at Smelly Nelly's.

Sam asked her point blank, "Casey, what's wrong?"

Casey kept her eyes down at her spaghetti and replied, "Nothing."

"You're lying," Sam retorted.

Casey looked up at him, saw the concern in his eyes and sighed, "Fine. I just feel like I'm never going to be happy again. I love spending time with you, Edwin and Lizzie but I feel like nothing's enough to make me happy."

Sam took in her words thoughtfully and said, "Maybe days at the beach and movie nights are not the types of fun you need. Ralph is throwing a rager at his fraternity house this weekend. Are you up for it?"

Casey thought about it for a few seconds, then she shrugged and said, "Why not? Maybe it'll drive me out of this stupid slump."

A few days later, Casey was getting dressed for Ralph's party. She picked out a red, silver-sequined top with a short black skirt and black pumps. When Sam arrived to pick her up, his eyes widened as his eyes roamed over her body and he had to restrain himself from making an inappropriate comment.

Soon after, they rolled up to the party and saw that it was already packed. Sam took Casey's hand and they headed into the party in search of Ralph. When they did find him, he was dancing with a red cup in his hand on a table with two girls and a crowd stood all around them cheering him on. Sam looked at Casey and they both could not contain their laughter. A few moments later, Ralph glanced over at them and when he noticed who they were, he hopped down and smothered them with a sweaty hug.

He put an arm around each their necks and said, "Welcome to my party! Do you guys want a drink?"

Casey glanced nervously at Sam and he whispered, "Just let go and have a good time, Casey. You need to have some fun."

Casey turned back to Ralph and said, "Sure. A drink sounds great."

She did want to have fun. She wanted to let go of Max, Derek, and everything else that made her upset. She just wanted to move on and tonight she was going to try her best to do exactly that.

Ralph brought Casey and Sam big red cups of beer which she sipped at first and although she hated the taste, she finished the entire cup in a few gulps. Then, she had another one and another one and before she knew it, her head was spinning.

Sam took her on to the dance floor and she couldn't understand how she was able to move when she felt like the room was twirling around her. She wrapped her arms around Sam's neck and put her head on his shoulders. They moved together to the rhythm of the music and the motion was starting to make her sick. She wondered if Sam felt as upset as she did since he had the same amount of drinks as she did or even a few more.

After the third song, Casey couldn't take it anymore and she whispered, "I need to go to the bathroom."

Sam nodded and they set off to find a bathroom. They crawled up the stairs and into a bedroom which had an adjoining bathroom. Casey raced into the bathroom and used the sink for support. Then, the nauseous feeling in her stomach worsened and she vomited all over it. She felt a little better, but the sick feeling still remained. She dizzily cleaned up the sink, washed her mouth and wrestled with the doorknob on her way out. She noticed that Sam had made himself comfortable on the bed so, she wobbled over and threw herself down next to him.

The feeling of her crashing onto the bed caused him to open his eyes and he turned to his side to face her.

"Hi, Casey. How are you?," he asked in a slur.

Casey giggled and said, "I'm a little out of it."

Sam laughed and said, "Me too. Do you want me to take you home?"

Casey turned her head quickly and replied, "I do, but maybe you should take a nap."

Sam grinned and said suggestively, "Only if you stay next to me."

Casey closed her eyes and said, "I'm not going anywhere."

Sam suddenly put his hand under the nape of her neck and kissed her hard on the mouth. Casey was surprised, but for some reason she didn't want to stop. She deepened the kiss and she instantly flashed back to the night that she and Derek were together. She pretended she was with him now.

She figured if she kept her eyes closed that it could be him with her in this moment and not Sam. She tugged his shirt off and let him remove hers. It was Sam's fingers that moved over her breasts but she envisioned that they were Derek's and she loved the way it excited her. She felt her blood rage through her veins and kissed Sam more passionately wanting him to do more to her in return. She let him pull off her underwear and move his fingers underneath her skirt. Her body arched at his touch and she couldn't take it anymore, she just wanted him inside of her.

She opened her eyes and undid his pants. She smiled at the sight of his erection which let him know that he had her permission. He leaned over and kissed her as he pushed inside of her. She closed her eyes was once again transported to herself back to the night with Derek. She cried out in both pain and pleasure until Sam had reached his end and pulled out of her. He rolled onto the bed, kissed her and said exhaustedly, "Good night, Casey. I love you," before nodding off to sleep a few moments later. Casey still had her eyes closed, placed her head on his chest and whispered, "I love you too, Derek."

A/N: Thanks for reading! Comments or questions are appreciated.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Casey woke up a few hours later with her head on Sam's chest and her brain was throbbing. Her disorientation increased as she lifted herself up and found that the only piece of clothing that remained on her body was her black skirt. She dragged herself out of the bed and searched the floor for the rest of her clothes. But as soon as she managed to get on to her feet, the bedroom door burst open and Ralph walked in with a smile plastered onto his face causing Casey to fly back under the covers. All of the commotion woke Sam up and as he looked around the room he was clearly confused by what he saw.

Ralph nodded his head towards Sam and said, "Well, it looks like you two managed to have a good time after all. I've been looking everywhere for you."

Sam turned to Casey and noticed how embarrassed she was by Ralph's intrusion.

Sam got out of the bed, walked over to Ralph and said, "Hey, buddy. Could you give us a sec? We'll be out in a few."

Ralph shrugged and said, "Okay man, but the party's practically over. By the time you come out everyone will be gone, except me. But, we can party together, I guess."

Sam shook his head, patted Ralph on the back, guided him to the door and said, "See you later, Ralph."

Then he spun around, hopped back on to the bed and pressed a kiss on Casey's cheek.

He ran a hand through her hair and asked with concern, "Are you okay, Case?"

Casey nodded, even though she knew everything was not okay. She remembered every moment of what happened between them and how awfully she treated him whether he knew it or not. She couldn't even look him in the eyes anymore. She saw the love that he had for her deep within them and the guilt strangled her heart.

Sam noticed the way Casey diverted her eyes from him and he figured that she felt ashamed by what happened between them. He decided to gather her clothes from the floor and give her some privacy to get dressed while he used the bathroom.

After a few minutes, he emerged from the bathroom and asked, "Are you ready for me to take you home?"

Casey stared at the ground and quickly nodded that she was. Sam took her hand as they made their way out of the house. They drove back to Casey's house in silence and when they arrived it was already almost noon.

When Casey silently started to step out of the car, Sam stopped her by saying, "Wait! Casey, would just tell me what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Sam's anguishing question hit Casey in the gut and it was the breaking point for her. The tears fell from her eyes freely and she cried, "No, Sam. You didn't hurt me, but I know I hurt you."

Sam shook his head and said without hesitation, "You can't hurt me, Case. I don't know if you remember this but last night, I told you that I love you. And it wasn't because I was drunk or because we just had sex, it was because it was the truth. I love you, Casey McDonald."

Casey looked at Sam who had tears brimming his eyes as well. Her chin trembled and the tears flowed in rivers down her cheeks. She placed a hand on Sam's cheek and said, "I love you, Sam. But I can't be in love with you, at least not right now. You deserve someone who loves you with all of their heart and my heart is barely even whole. I am so sorry."

Casey wiped the tears from her cheeks and raced out of the car. Sam watched her leave and the tears that he fought back now trickled down his face.

Casey went up to her room and slammed the door behind her. The anger and pain that she felt continued to rise her chest to a point where she could no longer contain it. She picked up one of her old high school textbooks, shrieked and threw the book at the wall in an attempt to release her tension. However, she gained little satisfaction from it. She was not angry at Sam for loving her or at Derek for moving on and following his dreams, she was angry with herself. There was no doubt in her mind that Max was wrong for trying to rape her, but she knew that she almost married him out of pure selfishness and cheated on him with her own stepbrother. It was an ugly truth that she would have to hide from the world, but would remain buried in her soul forever, a secret that she could never forget.

But, she took herself to a whole different world of disgust by the way she treated Sam.

_'What kind of person has sex with someone they care about while picturing the face of someone else?,' _she asked herself in disgust.

This question brought a fresh set of tears to Casey's eyes because she knew that things with Sam would never be the same and he was all she had left. She wondered how he could possibly forgive her for breaking his heart after he had been nothing but patient and kind. Casey knew that she was a strong, independent girl who could take of herself but she needed Sam on a more emotional level. She needed him because when he was around, he simply made her life better. She reflected on the way he would jet from his apartment to hers whenever she called and the way he dropped everything in Kingston to be there for her in London.

Sam was amazing and Casey could not deny that she loved him, but she knew that she could never be with him. She did not want her relationship with Sam to become an instant replay of the way she was with Max because she truly believed that he deserved better. However, no matter how many times Casey went over this situation in her mind, the problem of how she could possibly save her friendship with him still remained. Although she didn't have the answers, she did know one thing was for sure, she would do whatever it took to fix things with Sam.

_ONE WEEK LATER_

Casey waited for Sam in the hospital lobby with anxiety creeping up the back of her neck and panic coursing throughout her entire body. She just couldn't understand how a person who used to be so in control of their life could mess it all up so easily in three months. She tried to channel the controlled Casey from her youth who was screaming at her to just calm down. Casey tried to ease her stress levels with a few breathing exercises, but her heart raced at the sound of Sam's voice.

"Casey, what happened? I raced over here as soon as I got your voicemail," Sam said with a trace of panic in his voice.

"Sam, you should sit down," she said carefully as she led him to a seat and then took the one next to him.

She looked him directly in the eye and said, "I wanted to talk to you for a while now, but I thought you just needed some space. I missed you so much and you have become one of best friends. I don't want to lose that."

Sam interrupted Casey with a wary sigh and asked pointedly, "Casey, did you make me race down here so you could apologize?"

Casey shook her head and said, "I just wanted to get that out of the way before we faced a new challenge." She took a deep breath to retain her composure before she spoke again.

She let out the breath and said, "In a few minutes, I am going to receive the results of a pregnancy test."

Sam gasped and stared at Casey with wide eyes. He was speechless. He closed his eyes and whispered, "How could I have been so stupid?"

Casey put her hand over his and said, "First of all, don't blame yourself, I had equal responsibility and secondly, we don't know the results yet. Relax, or at least try to."

Sam took in Casey's words and tried to use them to ease his nerves. But, he just couldn't because the thought of having a baby with Casey was too bittersweet for him to handle.

They waited for a few minutes in silent thought until a nurse came out of the office and said, "Casey McDonald, the doctor will see you now."

Casey rose from her seat, then quickly turned around and held out her hand to Sam.

"Do you want to come with me?" she asked.

Sam took her hand and nodded nervously. As they followed the nurse in to the office Casey squeezed Sam's hand and whispered, "I'm scared, too."

When they reached the office, the doctor instructed them to take a seat and said, "Hello, I am Dr. Whitman. You must be Casey and this is?"

"He may the baby's father. If there is a baby, of course. Is there a baby?" Casey asked reluctantly.

Dr. Whitman sighed and said, "Yes, Casey. There is a baby. Congratulations!"

Casey turned and wrapped her arms around Sam and said, "Oh my God! I cannot believe this is happening."

Dr. Whitman smiled and said cheerfully, "You are currently in your sixth week. I'll see you again in -"

The doctor's words were cut off by the looks of complete horror that now graced the faces of the happy couple.

Sam turned to Casey and stuttered, "Six wwweekkss."

Casey was completely stunned. The full impact of the moment crashed into her as she thought to herself, _'Oh my God, I am carrying Derek's child.'_

Sam put his hand on her shoulder and turned her face to his. Her eyes were glazed over, but she blinked and brought herself out of her thoughts only to look into the caring eyes of Sam.

He took her hand gently and asked softly, "Did you lie to me, Casey? It's okay, I won't be angry with you."

Casey was now completely taken aback and asked frantically, "What do you mean? Lie about what?"

Sam narrowed his eyes and asked, "Tell me the truth. Did Max rape you?"

Casey finally understood where Sam's line of questioning was headed. She thought carefully about the implications of saying yes or no. If she said yes, her relationship with Derek would be completely off the hook, but lying about something as serious as rape could lead down a much steeper path. However, she no idea how she would explain the pregnancy if she said no.

Casey was so wrapped up in weighing her options that she didn't realize that Sam and Dr. Whitman were still waiting for an answer. Then, thinking on her feet, she said quickly, "No. Max did not rape me. But, I did sleep with him the night before the attack. I'm sorry, Sam. This is Max's baby."

Sam lowered his head in defeat and grunted in anger. Casey gave him look of confusion and asked, "Sam, why are you angry? You have nothing to worry about. This is not your baby. You can go to school, start a career and do everything as planned. It's my life that has to change, not yours."

There was nothing but hurt written on Sam's face at the sound of Casey's words, but he managed to say, "But, you know how I feel about you Casey. I can be there for you. I will help you raise this baby. I'll do anything you want me to do. We can be a family."

Casey's heart broke as Sam begged her to let him in, but she knew that the life he envisioned could never be possible and she started to cry. Then, suddenly Dr. Whitman cleared his throat, turned to Sam and asked politely, "Excuse me, young man. Would you mind giving me a word with Ms. McDonald?"

Sam shot a sad look at Casey and walked out of the office.

When he was gone, Dr. Whitman turned his attention to Casey who was now a mess due to her emotional turmoil. He grabbed the boxes of tissues and extended them to Casey, who gratefully took a few. Then he said, "Well Ms. McDonald, it seems you have quite a situation on your hands. Have you made a decision about how you will care for this baby?"

Casey wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes, sniffled and said, "I will try my best to take care of the baby on my own. I don't want hurt anyone, especially Sam."

Dr. Whitman eyed Casey curiously and said, "But, Sam seems sincere and genuinely in love with you. If you don't mind me asking, why don't you give him a chance?"

Casey felt that there was no harm in indulging the doctor and she replied, "Because Dr. Whitman, I know that I love the baby's father."

Dr. Whitman nodded slowly and said, "In that case, I wish you all the best and I'll see you back here in two weeks."

Casey bid Dr. Whitman goodbye and walked out of the office only to find that Sam was still waiting for her in the lobby. She quickly sped over to him and without a word she wrapped her arms around him.

Sam squeezed her tightly and said, "I am so sorry, Casey. I didn't mean to push myself on you. I really care about you."

"Thank you, Sam. I really care about you, too. But, I feel a little worn out from everything. Would you mind giving me a ride home? I just want to be in a quiet place to digest everything before sharing it with everyone."

Sam smiled and said, "Sure, Case. Whatever you want."

Sam took her arm in his and they walked out of the hospital as a united front.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Questions and comments are appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

No one hated surprises more than Casey and nothing could have been a bigger surprise than this baby. Yet, Casey loved the little life that was growing inside of her with all her heart. What she did hate was having to tell everyone that the baby's father was Max. She didn't want Max to have anything to do with her or her baby, all she wanted more than anything was to run into Derek's arms. But, she knew that wasn't possible. If their secret came out, everything would be ruined. Casey didn't even know if she wanted to tell Derek about the baby because she knew that if he stayed with her, his hockey career would be over. After hours of careful thought, she decided that the best plan would be for her to not tell anyone about the baby and swear Sam to secrecy about the whole ordeal. She would just go back to her apartment in Kingston, finish up her last year of college and take care of the baby on her own. Casey knew it wasn't the most ideal plan, but it was the only one that she could live with. She didn't want her or her baby to be anyone's burden or regret.

With her plan cemented in her mind, she told Sam to meet her at Smelly Nelly's so she could work out the details with him. She knew he wouldn't be happy with her, but it was her life and she needed to regain control of it.

When they were seated and had already ordered their food. Casey looked directly at Sam and said, "I have come up with a plan about how to deal with this baby."

Sam's curiosity was peaked and he nodded for her to continue.

"I've decided that I just want to go back to Kingston without telling anyone here about the baby," she said with confidence.

Sam was clearly surprised by her idea and he said, "That's ridiculous, Case. You cannot do this on your own. Your family will want to help you and have you thought about telling Max? He could pay you child support or something. He doesn't even have to be a part of the baby's life. You just have report the attack and you would have full legal custody. But, he should help in some way. I'll help you through it as well and George is a lawyer-"

Casey cut him off and asked angrily, "Sam, haven't you listened to anything that I said? I don't want any of that. I just want to go home and raise my baby, by myself. I think I would make a great mother and _if _I want to involve the baby's father, I will when I feel comfortable with it."

Sam listened to her intently and she figured that his silence signaled his agreement with her until he asked, "How long do you think it will be before you finally have to tell your family about the baby? Huh? A few months, a year, maybe even two years? Think about how hurt Nora and George would feel to miss out on seeing their first grandchild take their first steps or say their first words. I'm sure everyone you care about would be upset, Case. Lizzie, Edwin, Marti, your father, Emily and maybe even Derek. Casey, this decision could change your entire life, but I don't think it would be for the better."

Casey was stunned by how little she considered when she made her plan. She didn't even think about how her parents or George would handle her decision and she knew that they would be heartbroken. Casey folded her hands on the table and put her head on top of them in defeat.

She sighed and said, "Well, there goes that plan. I'm officially back to square one."

Sam smiled and said slyly, "Well, what about my plan?"

Casey lifted her head and asked with interest, "Your plan? What plan could you have?"

"Okay, I know this is a little far-fetched, but just hear me out until the end. Alright?"

Casey nodded and he continued, "Since you want to keep Max out of the picture, we can tell everyone that the baby is mine."

Casey gave him a confused look and said, "How is that a good plan?"

"Think about it. If people think it's my baby, they won't bother you about the father and when we go back to Kingston you can just go back to your life without having to lie to anyone," Sam explained with assurance.

Casey nodded slowly and started to smile. She looked at him in awe and said, "You know, Sam, I think that will work. Everyone will know about the baby and there won't be any hassle or hurt feelings. It's actually really great."

Sam laughed and said, "See, it's good to keep me around."

Casey glanced over at him and said, "I never doubted that for a moment."

A few days later, Casey knew it was time to tell her parents about the pregnancy and unfortunately the only time they had to tell them was the day of Simon's third birthday party because she and Sam planned to head back to Kingston the next day. Sam, Casey, George and Nora all took seats at the dinner table. George and Nora braced themselves for the news since they could see the seriousness on Sam and Casey's faces.

Casey took her mother's hands and said sadly, "Mom, you and I were always able to figure things out calmly and rationally and it's a part of our relationship that I have always loved. I've been doing pretty well for myself out in Kingston, but there have instances when I have lost my path and Sam's been there for me when I needed him the most."

Casey took a deep breath. The tension in the room was thick and Casey felt as though there was not enough air to breathe. She released the breath and said quickly, "Mom, George, I'm pregnant and Sam is the father."

Nora gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Her reaction was almost identical to when Casey told her about the attack. Except now there was a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

Casey looked down at the floor, unable to reach her mother's gaze. She had never felt this ashamed. When Nora recovered from the shock, she put her hand on Casey's shoulder and said, "Casey, I don't know what to say. I feel like you've become a completely different person. The girl I knew would never get herself into this situation."

As her mother spoke, Casey's heart sunk lower and lower. She fought the tears that were brimming her eyes and looked up at Nora.

"I am so sorry, Mom. I know you're disappointed," Casey pleaded and her voice cracked as spoke.

Nora turned away from Casey and said, "I'm sorry, too. But, I just can't handle this right now."

Nora got up from her seat and walked to the basement with one hand on her head, leaving everyone else at the table in complete shock.

Casey started sobbing and Sam wrapped his arms around her. George turned to Casey with a pained expression on his face and said, "Don't cry, Case. Your mother will come around. She always does. I'll talk to her. You know she loves you."

Casey up at George and said, "I don't know, George. I think this might be too much for her."

George put a hand on Casey's shoulder and said, "Just give her some time. Why don't you guys go and get ready for the party? Everything will be okay."

Casey and Sam went back up to her room and Casey laid down on her bed while Sam sat in her computer chair.

Sam sighed and said, "That was intense."

Casey shook her head and said tearfully, "Out of all of the possibilities I imagined, this was never one of them."

Sam ran his hand through his hair and said, "Well, at least now they know the truth. Somewhat."

Casey looked over at Sam, gave him a sad smile and said, "Thank you for everything, Sam. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Sam returned the smile and said, "You know I would do anything for you, Case. Anyways, I think I'm going to run home and change for Simon's birthday party. It's a surprise, right?"

"Yeah. Simon and Marti are going to get here around three, so be back here by 2:30. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure. See you later," Sam said as he headed out of her room. Just as he turned around, he bumped in to another person.

"Sam?"

"Derek?!"

Casey jumped up at the sound of Derek's name and voice. Her heart started to race and a constant sentence looped through her thoughts, _'He's back. He's back. He's back...'_

All she wanted to do was leap into his arms, but she had to restrain herself because Sam was still talking to him.

Sam pulled Derek into a hug and said, "It's good to see you, man!"

Derek grinned and said, "Same here. But, what are you doing here?"

Sam shrugged and said, "Nothing much. Me and Case just drove up here for a visit, but we are headed back to Kingston tomorrow."

Derek nodded and said, "Well, I guess I'll see you a little later at the party."

"Yeah, see you later, D."

Casey flew off her bed when she heard Sam going down the stairs. When Derek walked into her room, she quickly shut the door, threw her arms around him and planted a kiss firmly on his mouth.

Derek deepened the kiss and when he finally broke it they were both completely breathless.

"I missed you so much," Casey said with her arms still firmly around him.

Derek took her face in his hands and whispered, "I tried so hard to forget about you, Case. But, I couldn't. That's a sure sign you are the only one for me."

Casey looked into Derek's eyes and she knew this was no prank or practical joke. She smiled and said softly, "I love you, Derek Venturi."

Derek said with a smirk, "How could you not love me? Come on, I'm Derek."

Casey rolled her eyes, laughed and said, "You're so full of yoursel-"

Her words were cut off by his lips on hers. He kissed her with a passion that she had never felt before and it ignited her entire body. He created a trail of kisses from her lips, to her jaw, to her neck and then, he settled the final one on her collarbone. His hands roamed across her stomach and under her shirt. Then, they went back down to her hips where he brought her body closer to his.

Her fingers were in his hair as his trail of kisses moved from her neck to her chest. He pulled her shirt down in the front to gain access to her breasts. He let his tongue explore each one as her nipples hardened and she gasped from the delight of his touch. She brought his face back to hers and kissed him slowly. He pulled her closer to him again and this time she could feel his hardness press against her. She broke the kiss and whispered breathlessly, "I don't think we should."

She could feel Derek's smile form on her lips as he whispered gruffly, "Well, I do."

Before Casey could say anything else, she felt her legs move off the ground as Derek picked her up and carried her on to the bed. He began kissing her frantically all over her body and then, his hand was under her skirt. His fingers began to move and Casey wanted to scream from the building pleasure, but she bit her lip instead to hold it in.

With his hand still under her skirt, Derek moved on top of her and kissed her again. He was still kissing her when she felt his finger slip inside of her. She instantly broke the kiss and let out a small cry. She wanted him. And she wanted him now.

His fingers were moving fast inside her when their eyes met and the waves of passion, hunger, and love that passed between them were too much for Casey to handle.

She grabbed Derek by the shirt and growled in his ear, "I want you now."

Derek smirked as if he had thought of something funny and undid his pants. Casey traced her fingers along the shaft of his penis right to the tip which gave Derek the same craving that she had. He needed to be inside her. Now. He lay her back down on the bed as she readied herself for him. They both felt instant satisfaction as Derek entered her. They moved together in perfect harmony as though their bodies were made for one another. Just as they started to climax, they were frightened by a sudden knock on the door.

"Casey! Are you ready? Simon and Marti are going to be here soon with George's mother," Lizzie called.

Casey and Derek looked at each other with rattled expressions. Casey nervously called back, "Don't worry, Lizzie. I'll be down soon! I just need a few more minutes."

Lizzie shouted a quick okay and they were both relieved when they heard her walking back down the stairs.

Derek quickly pulled himself out of Casey and redressed himself before they had any more catastrophic interruptions. Since Casey didn't remove any of her clothes, she just went to the mirror to fix her hair and makeup. When they were both decent, she gave him a quick kiss and said, "You need to hurry up and sneak out of here before someone sees you."

Derek smiled and said jokingly, "I never thought I'd hear you say those words, Space Case."

Casey laughed and retorted light-heartedly, "Whatever, jerk."

Derek poked his head out of her door and saw no one in the hallway.

He turned back to her, took her hand and said softly, "The coast is clear. We can figure out something for later. Okay?"

Casey squeezed his hand and said, "Sure."

Then, he headed down to the party. Casey figured that it was probably best that she hang out in her room for a little while longer before going down to the party as well. She needed a moment to regroup especially after the _recent events._ Now, she was more confused than ever about her whole plan. But, she didn't have time to figure everything out.

She shook off the feelings of anxiety that were beginning to creep up and she headed downstairs to the party. She saw Sam and Derek sitting on the couch and they looked like they were in deep conversation so she decided not to interrupt. Her eyes continued to search the room until they finally rested on Lizzie who was fixing some of the streamers in the kitchen archway.

"Hey, Liz. Do you need some help with that?" Casey asked.

Lizzie shrugged and said, "No, I've got it."

When Lizzie finished attaching the streamers she turned to Casey and said, "So, Mum told me about the baby."

Casey was shocked, she had wanted to tell Lizzie herself when the time was right. The hurt look on Lizzie's face showed that she had expected Casey to tell her as well.

"Lizzie, please. Don't be angry. I wanted to tell you myself, but I was still figuring things out. I still don't know what I'm going to do. Mom is disappointed me and I don't think I could take it if you hated me too," Casey pleaded.

Lizzie sighed, letting her anger cool down and said, "I don't hate you, Case. And, I don't think Mum does either. She just needs some time."

Lizzie started to ask Casey more questions about the baby, but as she started to the doorbell rang.

Then Lizzie shouted, "Everyone hide! It could be Simon."

When everyone was well hidden, Lizzie opened the front door and in walked Ralph. Casey's eyes flew immediately from Ralph to Sam's eyes which were fixed on her as well.

Everyone else jumped up and shouted surprise which made Ralph laugh and say, "All of this for me! Come on, guys! You shouldn't have."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and said exasperatedly, "We didn't."

Ralph chuckled and before he could reply to Lizzie, his attention was diverted by Sam and Derek who were standing behind the sofa.

"Derek! Sam! Hey, both of my buddies are here. It's a D-Rock reunion."

Derek extended his hand and pulled Ralph in for a guy-hug.

"How have you been, Ralph?" Derek asked with a smile. "It's been a long time, man."

Ralph grinned and said contently, "College life is awesome, man. Life is one big party."

Derek smirked, stole a quick glance at Casey who hugging Marti across the room and said, "I know. Gotta love those parties and the girls... Can't forget the girls."

Ralph turned to Sam and said, "Speaking of parties, how great was that party at my frat house? People didn't leave until three the next day. Did you and Casey get home, okay?"

That question peaked Derek's interest and he looked keenly at Sam.

Sam nodded nervously and said, "Yeah, we got home okay."

Ralph continued to rave about the party, "That party was really incredible. Everyone had a great time, especially you and Casey. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the two of you, but you know I always thought you guys would get together someday and-"

Sam and Derek's eyes were now bugging out of their heads. Ralph noticed their expressions and asked worriedly, "Hey, are you guys okay?"

They both shook it off and Derek said trying to restrain his hostility, "Yeah, I'm totally fine. But, uh, Sam would you mind having a word with me for a second?"

Sam nodded and followed Derek into the laundry room.

Derek directed his stare squarely at Sam and asked, "What's going on between you and Casey? I thought she was marrying Max."

Sam was surprised yet again. "Wait, Casey didn't tell you. She's not engaged to Max anymore. He attacked her one night and basically tried to rape her. I've been there for her ever since. I brought her to London so she could be with her family and I figured it would help her get over it. She seemed okay for a while but, she told me still wasn't happy. That's why we ended up going to Ralph's party. I thought it would get her to let loose and have a little fun."

Derek was fuming. Casey had told him none of this. He was even angrier that he wasn't there to protect her. He wanted to burn Max's hands off and feed him his own penis. He could only imagine the pain and fear Casey went through while he was off training for a stupid hockey team.

When he realized Sam had finished speaking, he asked through gritted teeth, "Are you leaving anything out?"

Sam let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in and said, "Yes. At Ralph's party, Casey and I had a few too many and we slept together."

Those last few words set Derek over the edge. How could she sleep with _Sam _if she loved him? The anger, hurt and pain he felt made him want to sink to his knees or punch a wall. He turned around and walked out the back door of the laundry room, leaving Sam standing alone.

Right after Derek left, Casey ran into the kitchen and asked Sam frantically, "What did you say to Derek? Where is he?"

Sam shrugged and replied, "I had to tell the truth Casey. I told him everything that happened. Wit Max and with us."

Casey looked completely distraught. She ran quickly through the back door and eyes searched for Derek. She didn't have to search for long because he was standing a few feet away in the backyard.

Casey called out to him, "Derek?"

"Casey, just stay back," he replied coldly. "I don't want to hear it."

"I'm so sorry, Derek. It just happened. I pretended it was you the whole time," she cried.

"What?" Derek asked sounding clearly disgusted.

Casey threw her hands up and said, "I don't know what has happened to me anymore, Derek. I feel completely unconnected from the person I used to be. But, what I do know that I am more of my crazy, uncoordinated perfection-driven self when I am with you. I never realized how much I cared about you until you were really out of my life for those few weeks after we had that stupid fight."

Derek listened to Casey's words in silence. He knew that she was speaking the truth, but the reality of what she did still scorched and he wasn't sure that he was ready to forgive her.

Casey started to close the distance between them slowly and when she saw that he made no motion to stop her, she ran right up to him and threw her hands around his neck. He remained stiff with his arms still folded in front of him.

Then he looked down at her and she could see the anger in his eyes.

"You lied to me. I have been honest with you about everything, Casey. Me! I was the lord of lies, remember? But, everything was different with you. I am more of myself around you too. But, I don't know if I can let this go."

She looked up at him with sorrowful eyes and said, "I know you are upset with me and I know that my life has been in chaos for these past few months. I have screwed up more than I could have ever imagined. But, I love you and this baby. We-"

Suddenly Derek jerked back from her as though he had just found out she had a fatal, contagious illness and asked horrified, "Baby?! What baby?"

A/N: That chapter was fun to write, but intense as well. Hoped you enjoyed it! I'll try to update soon. Questions and comments are appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry this took a while. I have school to deal with among other obligations. But, don't worry I'll try to finish the fic as soon as I can. As always, thank you to each and every reader and I truly appreciate each an every comment. Happy reading everyone! *Updated to an edited version since I caught a few bugs in the first one*

Chapter 12

"My baby," Sam said. He had just entered the backyard when he heard Derek ask Casey about the baby.

Derek's eyes whisked back to Casey who chose to stare at the ground. She didn't know what to say. If she told Derek the truth now, everything would be ruined. She decided not to say anything. Derek took to the silence as Casey's agreement of Sam's words. Feeling betrayed, he wanted to nothing to do with either of them and walked angrily out of the backyard. He had reached the gate before he spun around on his heels and started to head back towards Casey and Sam. Casey's heart filled with hope and she wondered if he was coming back to forgive her.

All of her hope was gone the minute she realized that he was headed in Sam's direction. When Sam finally realized what was going on he threw up his hands to stop Derek, but he was not quick enough. Derek swung his fist hard into Sam's face and Casey heard a nasty crunch. Casey was mortified. She threw herself between Sam and Derek and said, "Der-ek! Stop!"

In that moment, Lizzie and Edwin came into the backyard to call Derek and Casey in because Simon was getting ready to blow out the birthday candles. But, when she saw the blood rushing down Sam's face and her pregnant sister trying to stop a fight, she rushed to help.

"What is going on out here?" Lizzie asked as she ran to Sam. She told Edwin to get some paper towels and ice ready as she helped Sam back into the house.

"Casey, Derek! Come and help me," Lizzie called.

"One second, Liz. I want to have a word with Derek," Casey shouted back.

Derek stepped away from her and said coldly, "I don't want to hear anything from you."

Casey lowered her voice and retorted, "I don't care. How could you be so stupid?"

Derek furrowed his eyebrows and said, "I could I be so stupid. I'm not the one pregnant after a drunken one night stand."

That quip hurt Casey and Derek noticed, but he knew there was nothing he could do to take it back.

"You're right, Derek. How could I have been so stupid? I did get pregnant after a one night stand, but it wasn't with Sam. And I never slept with Max so, what do you think that means? Hmmm... do you need a minute to work it out?" Casey challenged boldly.

After a few seconds, the realization hit. Derek whispered slowly, "Wait. I'm the father?"

He lowered his eyes to Casey's which were focused back on him. "Oh my God! I'm the father. You're having my baby. How is this even possible?" He ran a hand through his hair and started to pace.

Casey was now the surprised one. She had expected Derek to react differently. She grabbed Derek's shirt and asked, "How do you feel about this baby?"

Derek put his hands on her shoulder and asked almost frantically, "How do I feel? Is that a serious question?" Then, he resumed pacing.

Casey's feeling were now officially hurt.

"I thought you loved me," she said with a small voice.

Derek stopped pacing again and turned his full attention to her. He took her hand and said, "I do love you, Case. But, a baby. What are we going to do with a baby? I mean our lives are just starting. No one knows about us. I have hockey and you have school."

Casey's worst fears were coming to life. Derek didn't want the baby. He just wanted to live his life. But then again, she was prepared for that.

She started to back away from Derek and she said icily, "Well, now we have a baby. And you're right since no one knows you're the father, you don't have to worry. Live your life, Derek. I will take care of the baby. And Sam, the guy you just punched in the face, thinks that the baby's father is Max. He is just telling everyone that he is the father so, they won't ask me about it. He is literally just being a good friend. Maybe, if you took your head out of your ass for five seconds, I could have explained everything to you."

Derek was flabbergasted. He did not know what to say to that. He really had been an idiot and it may have cost him his best friend. Casey walked away silently, leaving Derek alone in the backyard as he had been before everything started.

The next day Casey and Sam were driving back to Kingston in complete silence. Sam had a bandage over his nose and seemed focused intently on the road ahead of him. Casey went with him to hospital the night before and was there when the doctor told them that he had a broken nose. Casey hadn't known what to say then and she didn't know what to say now.

As they continued to drive, Casey's mind drifted back to the argument she had with Derek. Part of her didn't want to believe it was real. She couldn't understand how Derek could love her so much that he would break his best friend's nose, but was able to choose his career over being with her and their baby. This was part of the reason she never wanted to tell him about the baby. She figured that if she never told him, he could never reject her. But the fact that he did, infuriated her.

Casey knew that if she kept thinking about Derek, she would become depressed, so she turned to Sam and said meekly, "So, is your nose feeling better?"

Sam shrugged and replied, "It's okay. How are you feeling?"

Casey smiled at his concern for her and said, "I'm fine."

The silence resumed for a few more minutes and then, Casey broke it again by saying, "Sam, I am really sorry about what happened last night."

Sam turned to her with a surprised look on his face that quickly transformed to anger.

"Why are you sorry, Case? You did nothing wrong. It's Derek that should be sorry. I mean, what the hell is his problem? Is he trying to be your protector or something? Because he really isn't doing a good job. I mean it was weird that he didn't want us to be together when we were teenagers, but this is fucking ridiculous. I mean I understand that he would be angry that you're pregnant, but I'm not a stranger or some creep like Max, I was his best friend," Sam ranted.

Casey felt as though she unleashed a can of worms. It seemed like Sam had given the entire situation a lot of thought and Casey could understand how Sam could view Derek's behavior as irrational since he did not know the true nature of Derek and Casey's relationship. Casey felt guilty for everything that happened to Sam because deep down she knew that she was the source of all his pain, emotionally and physically.

When they finally arrived at Casey's apartment, she felt exhausted. She just wanted to spend the entire day resting before facing the world again. She hugged Sam goodbye and walked into her apartment.

She sighed to herself, let her eyes roam around the apartment, and said to herself, "Home sweet home."

Then, she heard her toilet flush and the sound of someone washing their hands. Casey was stunned by what was happening that she did not think to call the police until the person was starting to exit the bathroom. She whipped open her bag and searched frantically for her cell phone.

"Casey, stop trying to call the police. It's just me."

Casey would that voice anywhere and she braced herself.

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you at your own place?"

Derek folded his arms in front of him and replied, "I got here last night. I wanted to be here when you got back, so I could apologize to you as soon as possible."

Casey retained her composure, even though she was overflowing with emotion underneath the surface. She folded her arms as well and retorted, "You know I am not the only one you need to apologize to. You broke Sam's nose. He doesn't understand why you hit him, Derek."

Derek was clearly upset by Casey's words. He wanted nothing more than to apologize to Sam and just go back to being friends. But, Casey was right. How could he explain the rage and jealousy that flowed through his veins that night? The truth was that he couldn't and it killed him.

After a few moments of reflection, Derek said softly, "I am sorry about what happened with Sam."

Casey's icy glare softened after what seemed to be a sincere apology. Derek noticed her change in composure and reached out to her as he said, "Casey, I know that if anyone can raise a baby on their own, it's you. But, I just cannot run the risk of having my child turn out to be a keener like his mother so, I guess I'm going to have to stick around."

Casey was stunned, but instead of letting herself get too excited, she asked reluctantly, "Are you sure that this is what you want? There is a good chance that we will have to tell everyone that this is our baby someday. I don't even know if I'm ready to deal with all of that. My mother couldn't even bear to be in the same room with me after she found out I was pregnant."

Casey was starting to panic now and her anxiety levels climbed to an all time high.

Derek immediately reacted to Casey's freak out mode by rubbing her back as he whispered, "Relax, Casey. We'll take things one step at a time. I'll re-enroll at school and move back into my apartment so I can be around without really _being around._"

His method worked, she started to feel better the second his hand was on her back. She looked up at him and asked softly, "And what about us?"

Derek let out a deep breath and hung his head low. He held one of her hands in his and said quietly, "Casey, I love you. But, I can't seem to shake the stuff that happened between you and Sam."

Casey gasped. She didn't expect that. She believed that Derek would forgive her for the sake of the baby. The tears brimmed her eyes immediately and her voice was raspy as she pleaded, "Please, Derek. I know I messed up, but I want to us to be a family. I love you and I want our baby to have two loving parents."

Derek looked at her solemnly and said, "It will, Case."

Casey couldn't take it anymore. She kept in mind that she was taking back control of her life and right now she wanted Derek to be a part of it. In a burst of impulse, she grabbed Derek by the neck and kissed him with every ounce of power she could gather. He was completely caught off guard and he asked her hoarsely with heat in his eyes, "Casey, what are you doing?"

Casey smirked and said, "Whatever I want. And, tonight I want you."

Derek was confused by Casey's new antics, but he liked it way too much to say no. He shrugged and said, "Well, how could a guy say no to that?"

She giggled and then, whispered seductively, "He doesn't."

Derek kissed her and she gently guided him to the couch. He laid her down softly and continued kissing her as he rested his body gently on top of hers, making sure not to put too much pressure on her stomach.

Casey broke the kiss and jokingly asked, "Hey, do you have a condom?"

Derek made a motion to check his pockets and then, said with a laugh, "Sorry, I don't think I do. Do you mind if we do a pull and pray?"

She laughed and said, "I don't know, it didn't really work for me the last time I tried it."

Derek continued to laugh as he pressed another kiss on her mouth with the smile still on his lips. Casey broke the kiss again to take off her shirt and Derek followed her lead. But, as she started to pull the shirt off, she started to cry out in pain.

Derek was suddenly overcome with fear. He pulled his shirt back down, helped her with hers and backed off of her.

"Casey, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?," he asked in a panic.

"No, you didn't hurt me. But, I just had some sharp pains in my pelvis," Casey answered.

She glanced up at Derek and nervously suggested, "Maybe, I should go to the hospital to make sure that everything is okay."

Derek's facial expression was like stone as he said, "I'll drive."

Derek helped Casey into the car and every time Casey cried out in pain, he pressed down on the gas pedal a little harder. This annoyed Casey and caused her to yell, "Derek, slow down or you'll kill all three of us."

Derek shot an angry expression at her and said, "Do you want to get there quickly or not?"

Casey rolled her eyes and retorted, "Fine. But, you're paying the ticket if we get pulled over because-"

Her words were cut off by another sharp pain and Derek accelerated her car once again.

When Casey arrived at the hospital, the receptionist told her that she had to wait ten minutes before seeing the doctor. Derek did not take that lightly.

He gestured to Casey and shouted angrily, "This woman is eight weeks pregnant. She is clearly in a lot of pain and you have the audacity to make her wait to see a doctor!"

The receptionist was taken aback by Derek's tone, but she too noticed the fear in his eyes and she said reassuringly, "Sir, I understand your impatience. Just have a seat, I'll see what I can do."

Derek shook his head and led Casey to a seat. He put a hand on her stomach and the other around her shoulders.

Casey rested her head on his shoulder and said quietly, "I hope nothing is wrong, Derek. I know this baby will cause problems for us down the road, but I love it so much. And if I lose-"

Casey couldn't bring herself to finish her thought, she just shook her head and stared down at her hands.

Derek shushed her and said, "Don't say things like that, Case. Nothing will happen to this baby. It's our kid after all, so it will be a fighter."

Casey smiled at the thought. But, it was soon interrupted by the receptionist telling her that she could see the doctor.

Derek held her hand as they walked in and the doctor greeted her with a smile. He was an older man with glasses, a speckled beard and a warm smile.

"Hello, Ms. McDonald. My name is Dr. Dave Reulerr. What seems to be the problem?," he asked with genuine concern.

"Well, I was just sitting in my living room when I started to feel sharp pains in my pelvic area. I am about 8 weeks pregnant and I was afraid that something happened to the baby," Casey explained worriedly.

Dr. Reuller nodded and said, "Okay. Well, you are in your first weeks of pregnancy and pains like that are to be expected as long as there is no bleeding. Has there been?"

Casey shook her head and replied, "No."

Dr. Reuller threw up his hands and said, "In that case, you and the baby are fine. Just relax and take things easy. I'm assuming that this is the father of the baby, am I correct?"

Casey nodded and took Derek's hand. "Yes, he is the father."

Dr. Reuller gave Derek a serious look and asked, "She will need you now, more than she has ever needed you before. Can you handle that?"

Derek returned the doctor's stoic expression and said with certainty, "Absolutely."

Dr. Reuller's crinkled smile returned and he said, "I wish the both of you the best of luck."

Derek helped Casey up from her seat, but before they left Casey turned back to Dr. Reuller and said with heartfelt gratitude, "Thank you for everything, Doctor."

When they arrived back to Casey's apartment, Derek took Casey in his arms and hugged her tightly. As he let her go, he said, "I have never been more worried in my entire life. Imagine if I wasn't around tonight and something did happen to the baby or you. I don't think I could take the stress of living at my apartment when you need me. Maybe, it would be better if I stayed with you?"

Casey pondered his suggestion for a while then, shook her head and said unsurely, "I don't know, Derek. Sam will pop in and out of here and you are the last person he would want to see right now."

Derek sighed and said in defeat, "Fine. I'll go back to my place. Tomorrow."

Then, he and Casey went to bed.

_ONE MONTH LATER..._

_'Today's the day,' _Casey thought to herself. She waited patiently in the sonogram chair for the results of her most recent exam. This appointment was more exciting than usual because today she was going to find out the baby's gender. She wished that Derek was there with her, but he couldn't make it because he was at work. He had gotten a job as a waiter at the local coffee shop about a week after they got back from visiting their family. She loved him even more for that. It showed how committed he was to making their little family work. Her thoughts were interrupted when the nurse returned and handed Casey a picture of her baby.

Tears sprung unexpectedly to her eyes as she was overcome by a wave of emotion.

She kept her eyes on the picture and said, "My baby is wonderful." Then, she looked up at the nurse and asked, "So will you tell me? Am I having a boy or a girl?"

The nurse smiled and said, "Congratulations, Ms. McDonald! You are having a girl."

Casey went home and tried her best to focus on her schoolwork as she waited for Derek to get home from his job. But, no matter how much effort she put into her studying, she could not bottle up her excitement. She decided to call Sam to invite him over for dinner so, they could all celebrate the news together. She reflected on how much Sam did for her in the past few months and she wondered if would have been able to handle it all without his support. He had been there for her even in her darkest times and no one could replace the part he played in her life. The past month had been rough for everyone, but Derek and Sam were slowly rebuilding their friendship. About a week after the incident, Derek apologized to Sam personally, which brought their code of silence up to gestures of acknowledgement. Casey could see that they were both hurting and the fact that she knew she had something to do with their broken friendship deepened the pain she felt for them.

As she thought about friendships, her mind instantly went to Emily. She recalled Emily's reaction to her pregnancy with a smile. Her exact words were, "You hooked up with Sam and didn't tell me?!"

It was just like Emily to want to be a part of the gossip circle. Casey decided that she would tell Emily her big news first.

"Hey, Em! How are you?" Casey said when Emily answered.

"I'm fine. How are you and baby?" Emily asked.

"We're okay. I actually have some huge news and I want you to be the first to know," Casey said enthusiastically.

Emily jumped up in excitement and said, "OMG, what happened?"

Casey took a deep breath and said, "I'm having a girl."

Emily squealed and Casey held the phone away from her ear. When she replaced it, Emily said, "Awww, a girl. A cute little baby Casey. Congratulations!"

"Thank you! I can't wait to start picking out names and buying adorable baby clothes," Casey said wishfully.

Emily sighed and said sadly, "I wish I could do all of those things with you. When are you going to tell Sam?"

"Well, he's coming over for dinner soon. So, I'll tell him-"

Casey's words were cut off when she heard keys in the door. She quickly said, "Sorry, Em. I have to go someone's at the door."

Then, she raced over to the door and greeted Derek with a hug.

Derek was taken aback and said, "Woah, Case! You're in a good mood."

He rubbed his hand over her small bump and said, "I hope my baby is happy too."

Casey grinned widely and said, "She is."

Derek started taking off his shoes as he said, "She better be, I wouldn't want her-"

He paused for a second and then, looked up in surprise at Casey and said, "She?"

Casey nodded with excitement as a slow grin spread across Derek's face.

"Oh my God, we are having a girl!," he shouted.

He grabbed Casey and pulled her close to him. He kissed her all over her face and let his lips linger on hers.

"I love you, Casey McDonald. And I love our daughter," he whispered with a smile.

"We love you too, Derek Venturi," she promised.

Derek kissed her and led her to the couch. When they were both seated Casey pulled her shirt off and pulled his off as well. There was a hunger in their eyes as they looked at each other with a smirk. Derek ran his fingers through her hair as her kissed her deeply.

Casey broke their kiss and started to kiss his neck when they heard her apartment door swing open.

"Casey!" Sam called.

Derek and Casey both had equal looks of horror on their faces as they realized what would happen if Sam walked into the living room. They scrambled to put their shirts back on.

But it was a short walk, and they were too late.

Sam entered the room with a look of complete disgust written all over his face while Casey hurried to pull on her shirt and Derek was still nestled between her legs. There were even traces of Casey's lip gloss on Derek's face and neck. There was no way to deny what was going on. It was too obvious.

Sam blinked repeatedly as if he was trying to wake himself up from a horrible nightmare. Casey and Derek just stared back at him feeling ashamed and clearly worried.

After what seemed like years, Sam asked breathlessly as if not yet fully recovered from the shock, "Were you two just doing what I think you were doing, Casey?"

Derek smirked and said, "That depends on what you think we were doing."

Sam glared angrily at Derek and shouted, "Shut up, Derek! I asked Casey!"

Casey reached out nervously to touch Sam's hand, but he pulled it back like lightening. She let the rejection wash over her as she tried to explain calmly despite the anxiety and fear rushing through her veins.

"Sam, uhmm. I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just going to make everything perfectly clear with one sentence. I'm having Derek's baby."


End file.
